Welcome to The Chief's Challenge

In 2007, Terry Garrison retired from the Phoenix Fire Department after serving more than 30 years. Working for Alan Brunacini and reaching the level of assistant chief of operations helped shape Terry’s consistent values: firefighter safety and customer service. After a long weekend of retirement, Terry served as the fire chief of the Oceanside (Calif.) Fire Department, where he worked for almost three years. Terry then moved to Texas, where he served as the chief of the Houston Fire Department for more than five years. Currently, Terry is the fire chief in Glendale, Ariz., where he was born and raised. Terry has traveled throughout the world teaching fire command. He has a master’s degree in education and attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Terry and his wife, Annette, live in Phoenix.

Nick Brunacini joined the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) in 1980. He served seven years as a firefighter on different engine companies before promoting to captain and working nine years on a ladder company. Nick served as a battalion chief for five years, and in 2001, he was promoted to shift commander. He then spent the next five years developing and teaching the Blue Card curriculum at the PFD’s Command Training Center. His last assignment with the PFD was south shift commander; he retired from the department in 2009. Nick is the author of “B-Shifter—A Firefighter’s Memoir.” He also co-wrote “Command Safety.”