Fire Engineering – The Four Pillars of Leadership: David Sprague
By Berkeley (CA) Fire Chief Dave Sprague
“I am a second-generation firefighter and third generation resident of Berkeley, California. I was hired as a firefighter/paramedic in 2001 and have served in a variety of roles, including six years assigned to the division of training, which was formative. I was an active member of US&R Task Force 4 and deployed to Hurricane Katrina. I served as director, secretary, and president of IAFF Local 1227 cumulatively for 15 years and was president of FireNuggets, Inc., a national nonprofit dedicated to fire service training, for six years. I unexpectedly became an acting fire chief in 2022 and was promoted in 2023.
I am a person who gains a great deal of satisfaction from working hard and getting things done; I get frustrated if I am not provided the authority, materials and equipment to carry out my work; I’ve found opportunities to get engaged in meaningful work that leverages my strengths; and I prefer to stay out of the spotlight, and if I get praise or recognition, it is most meaningful (and comfortable for me) to receive it 1:1. I continue to learn an incredible amount about how to lead, and am honored to share some of it with you…“
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