Patricia Byars-Faulkner has been tasked with serving as the Interim Fire Chief at the Levelland Fire Department (LFD) as the City of Levelland begins their search for the new fire chief.
Byars-Faulkner, born in Lubbock, said she started her fire service career at the Dallas Fire Department in 1989.
At a certain point in her career, she took a hiatus to raise her child. After getting back into the field, she would eventually find herself working as a fire chief in a little city outside of Waco.
Byars-Faulkner would end up retiring last year after an extensive career before the City of Levelland would ask her to help out by serving as an interim fire chief while their search process gets underway.
She said her interest was peaked when she met fire fighters who loved their job. In turn, that is what led her to pursuing her career in fire fighting. What kept her going in her career was the fact was that she never had the same two calls.
“We train for basic things, but if anything happens, you have to think outside the box because nothing is ever the same,” Byars-Faulkner said.
She said she is now a tricertified paramedic, cop and firefighter.
To her, what makes a good fire department is mutual respect, and the amount they have for each other at LFD is amazing, the interim chief said.
“I loved the area, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I think this’ll work’,” Byars-Faulkner said.
In the Levelland department, it’s never about them and always about the community, she said.
“They know everybody and everybody knows them,” Byars-Faulkner said, “and it’s just wonderful.”
Something else that drew her in to the career was the family aspect. She said guys on shift spend more time at work than home, but it has to be like that.
“I have to trust my life with them and they have to trust their life with me,” Byars-Faulkner said. “And you can’t do that if you don’t know each other.”
Regarding philosophies, she said she’s a firm believer in maximizing your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses. She likes utilizing everybody’s talents and letting them do what they need to do.
“Whether it was this department, or my last, or it doesn’t matter,” Byars-Faulkner said. “I can’t run this department without them. I can’t. Because they’re very integral.”
At the moment, the interim chief said she’s here to help them decide what they need in the role and she doesn’t know if she’ll be part of the interview process.
“When they get the new chief, I’ll job train them, “ Byars-Faulkner said, “and try to make it a smooth transition between them and this office.”
She said her job is to facilitate helping them during her time at the Levelland department.
“I’m not coming in here to change anything, I’m not coming in here to rearrange, to upset anything,” Byars-Faulkner said. “’Cause they’re running beautifully.”