Monday's Internet Edition, October 06, 2008.
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| Dennis Haas accepted an offer from the city and will take over the position of fire chief on Feb. 17. |
News editor - Just a little over a month after fire chief Bruce Woods left the Copperas Cove Fire Department, the city has hired a new fire chief to take over the void.
Friday, Dennis Haas, 49, accepted an offer from the city and will take over the position on Feb. 17. According to human resources, Haas’ total salary package will be in the low 70’s. The benefit package includes base pay, car allowance and benefits. Haas has been the fire marshal for Travis County since May 2002. Haas has over 23 years of fire service experience and is a retired career fire officer from Austin. During his career he has served as an operations manager, fire inspector and fire marshal.
Holding a bachelor of applied science degree from Abilene Christian University and an associate of applied science degree in fire protection technology from Cisco Junior College, Haas is currently certified by the State of Texas as a master firefighter, master fire and arson investigator, master fire inspector, master fire education specialist, master instructor and fire officer. He also is a commissioned peace officer.
Woods left the department in December and is now the chief fire training coordinator for the Texas Forest Service in College Station.
Shift commander Mark Ingram said that Haas interviewed with the hiring panel, which included the three shift commanders, Ingram, Mike Fleming and Skip Rippy. assistant fire chief Robert O’Dell and human resources director Kelly Sames and assistant city manager Robert Camareno. He was also interviewed by city manager Steve Alexander.
“He was definitely a strong candidate,” said Ingram. “He was our choice, I’m happy he was the city’s choice also.”
Sames said Haas was one of two interviewed for the job out of 28 applicants. The other interviewee came from San Angelo. “His interview, background, expertise and experience that he brought to us in the interview process convinced us that he’d be a good fire chief for Copperas Cove,” said Sames.
Sames said he had a comprehensive and diverse background in fire service. “I am so excited that he accepted the job,” said Sames. “We are looking forward to him being a part of our management team.”
Sames also said the experience and expertise Haas will be bringing to the fire department will definitely be an asset to Copperas Cove.
Haas said he is very excited about the position and moving to Cove. “I came to Travis County more by necessity than want because of a family illness,” said Haas. “After remarrying last year, my wife, Tamara, and I decided we really didn’t want to raise our children, ages 4,8,11 and 14 in such a large city, we wanted the smaller community environment.” Haas added that the school system really appealed to him and his wife. “It just seemed like a good spot for us.”
City manager Steve alexander said that Haas was the best candidate for the job. “His interview went excellent,” said Alexander. “He is very credible and knowledgable in fire operations. We were very impressed.”
Alexander said that he looks forward Haas being here. “He’s got a lot of work ahead of him,” said Alexander. “I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”
Haas said his family made a trip to Cove this past weekend to look the area over. “We were locating the different schools and checking out the different neighborhoods,” said Haas. “I’ll be coming up in two weeks and then my family will follow after school gets out in May.”
Haas also has five grown children ranging in age from 24 to 33 years of age and two grandchildren.
Tamara Haas is a certified webmaster and works from home designing and maintaining websites.
Haas said he has no immediate plans to change anything at the fire department. “Right now I just want to get to know everyone and see how everything is done,” said Haas. “I’ll evaluate what’s in place and go from there.”
Haas retired from the Abilene Fire Department in 1999 after a 20-year career there. He has been involved in fire service training for over 15 years and served as the Fire Protection Program Director for Austin Community College in Austin for two years.
Currently Haas teaches fire investigation courses at Texas A&M University’s Municipal Fire School and at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD.
Haas has received the firefighter of the year in Abeline and a statewide fire service special award from A Texas Advisory Council on Arson (ATAC) for his efforts to combat arson.
Haas is one of five investigators chosen by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection to serve on an Ad-Hoc Committee to re-write the curriculum used to certify fire inspectors for the State of Texas.
Haas is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI_, Texas Fireman’s and Fire Marshal’s Association and is a member and serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Fire Marshal’s Association.