Roseville’s New Fire Chief: Rick Bartee

Roseville Acting City Manager Rob Jensen announced the appointment of Rick Bartee as the city’s next Fire Chief.  

Bartee will join Roseville following a 34-year career with the Phoenix Fire Department, from which he’s retiring as assistant chief this month. He takes the helm at the Roseville Fire Department on Nov. 2.

Finalists from a nationwide search were invited to a daylong session of interviews with three panels: An industry panel comprising fire service professionals, a community panel including the mayor and community leaders, and a staff panel comprising city department heads.  Bartee emerged as the top candidate among all three panels.

 “Our panel, like the others, was very impressed with Rick’s credentials, experience, and his leadership approach,” said Mayor Carol Garcia. “We’re looking forward to welcoming him and his family to Roseville.”

Acting City Manager Rob Jensen said, “Not only does Rick have the track record and expertise, he also has the people skills and drive to lead the outstanding group of fire service professionals in our Fire Department and to be a contributing leader in our region.”

At the Phoenix Fire Department, Bartee most recently managed the Homeland Defense Bureau, FEMA/Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team, Fire/Police Joint Homeland Defense Bureau, All Hazards Incident Management Team, Strategic Planning and Special Events Planning, the Phoenix Fire Department’s Urban Area Security Initiative, and the State Homeland Security Grant Program grants.

“I’m looking forward to this opportunity to lead a vibrant fire department at the City of Roseville,” Bartee said.  “Roseville has a great reputation.  It’s a forward-thinking organization, a regional leader, and I’ve been quite impressed with the firefighters I’ve had a chance to meet.”

Beginning his fire service career in 1981, Bartee quickly progressed through the ranks working at busy fire stations as an engineer, captain, battalion chief and shift commander.

In 1999, Bartee was promoted to deputy chief and over the next eight years he served in a number of critical roles including supervising the Health, Wellness and Fitness Center, the Emergency Medical Services Division, and serving as commander of various districts and battalions.

He was promoted to assistant fire chief in 2007 and served in many high-profile deployments, including the World Trade Center in 2001, Space Shuttle Columbia incident in 2003, Hurricane Katrina in 2005; and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. 

Bartee is currently the National Task Force Representative for all 28 FEMA/USAR Task Forces, and is a member of FEMA/USAR Blue Incident Support Team as the Deputy IST Leader. He also served on the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center as an executive-board member.

Bartee earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Grand Canyon University and an Associates of Applied Science degree from Phoenix College. He completed an Executive Leadership Program through the Center of Homeland Defense at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif.

He is married to Jennifer, and is the father of six children and two grandchildren.