Colleagues cite Chief Ramon’s unique skill-set background, team-building savvy, and commitment to her employees and community as reasons she deserves the honor—not to mention the success of the Cy-Fair Fire Department itself.
Houston, TX (April 2024)—When you build a life on what you’re passionate about, it takes you to some surprising places. Cy-Fair Fire Department Fire Chief Amy Ramon is a good example. When she started out with Cy-Fair Fire Department, she was a 20-year-old volunteer firefighter driven by a desire for saving lives and serving her community. Now, almost 34 years later, she’s accepting the prestigious Texas Fire Chiefs Association Fire Chief of the Year Award.
“The fire service is a calling; people get into it and never leave,” says Brent Scalise, chief of operations for Cy-Fair Fire Department. “Amy is the perfect example of that. She has a skill set that is not easily found in the fire service. Not only does she have an understanding of all aspects of emergency services, she’s also an attorney and a financial expert. Amy could have chosen any number of paths in the private sector, but her love for this profession and its people won out, and we are grateful for that. No one could deserve this honor more.”
The award, which is given by the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, is unique in that the recipient is chosen by his or her peers from around the state of Texas. Every Texas fire department is allowed one vote. (Notably, Ramon is the first woman to receive the award.)
Chief Ramon’s career in the fire service began in 1990, when she worked as a volunteer firefighter with the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department. She quickly progressed to station officer, board member, and assistant chief of EMS, before accepting the role of fire chief in July of 2014. For the next five years, she built a team and a culture centered around service and community.
In 2019, Chief Ramon led the department in the transition to a career department utilizing full-time, part-time, and volunteer firefighters. Under her leadership, Cy-Fair has grown into a first-class operation. It is now one of the largest, busiest combination fire departments in the United States, with over 38,000 emergency responses each year.
Today, Cy-Fair Fire Department is known for its “three-legged stool” approach to where it focuses resources and energy:
- Great People.Cy-Fair makes a real effort to attract and retain the best and the brightest talent. Its incredibly low turnover rate means experienced people, which is vital for a lifesaving profession.
- A Culture of Continuous Learning and Training. Cy-Fair invests heavily in training, both tactical and leadership. “At Cy-Fair, a very high level of competency is just the price of admission,” notes Mike Clements, assistant chief–administration at the Cy-Fair Fire Department. “Our investment in both types of training keeps everyone safe, ensures optimal outcomes, and leads to happier, more engaged employees.”
- State-of-the-Art Equipment and Facilities.Being the best in this area allows people to do their best work and protects people, property, and the environment from fire damage. Most important: It saves lives—both citizens’ and firefighters’.
Cy-Fair Fire Department is making a name for itself in the medical and first responder industries. Leaders are routinely recognized for their best practices and showcased in trade publications, podcasts, and other programs.
All that said, fire service is a tough field to excel in. There are multiple challenges to master: intellectual, emotional, political. A fire chief must be able to hold up under traumatic circumstances, make hard decisions quickly, gain the trust and respect of those they lead, and build cohesive teams out of individuals with strong personalities and a variety of strong (often conflicting) opinions.
“One of the things that makes Chief Ramon good at her job is her humility: She knows what she doesn’t know,” says Clements. “She has made it a point to surround herself with smart people and get them aligned and focused on the same goals. I can truthfully say she’s the best team-builder we have ever worked with.”
The nomination letters that helped Ramon earn the Fire Chief of the Year Award are a testament to the love and respect her colleagues have for her. Here are just a few examples of how they described her:
“Chief Ramon has led our organization through some of the roughest waters a chief executive will ever have to navigate. Regardless of the challenges from natural disasters, pandemics, staff, or politics, she is hands-down one of the best executives in the state and nation. She understands all facets of running a self-sustaining $100 million operation. Her business acumen is unparalleled, all while making time for pre-scheduled breakfasts at the first station’s kitchen table. As a direct result of her leadership, we have become a destination organization, attracting the best and brightest in a very challenging labor market.”
—Mike Clements, MPA, EFO, CFO, SHRM-SCP; Assistant Chief–Administration, CFFD
“One of the most important challenges that Chief Ramon has accomplished is the respect she has earned from the employees on the front line…Being a woman in a predominantly male profession can’t be easy—and leading those men and women the way she does would be hard for anyone to accomplish. She thinks about everyone who is impacted by the decisions she makes, and it shows.
“The commitment she has to the community is second to none. When you call 911, it can be one of the worst days of your life. Chief Ramon realizes that and wants to help ease the anxiety people feel. That’s why she is never complacent about training, equipment, or anything else that impacts the safety of the community.”
—Nick Buonarosa, District Chief–Suppression, CFFD
“In 2014, the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department hired an outside company to conduct a national job search for our next fire chief. Chief Ramon was unanimously selected at the end of the rigorous process after she ran against many talented individuals. Chief Ramon stepped into the role seamlessly and has continued to push herself to be better each day than she was the day before.
“I wish I had time to name every hurricane, flood, and ice storm that she faced with…the determination to take care of our personnel and the community at whatever the cost. She would not leave our command center until each event was over, using her own resources when needed to get food to our personnel, our stranded citizens, and even their pets.”
—Courtney Chumley, EMTP, FACPE; District Chief–EMS, CFFD
When asked about the Fire Chief of the Year Award, Ramon was humble, giving all the credit to those around her.
“I’m beyond thrilled with this recognition,” she said. “But mostly I’m grateful: for the frontline responders who save lives, the leaders who show up every day and give it their all, the commissioners who’ve made sure our crews have fair compensation and the best equipment, and the community that turns up for events and supports us every step along the way.
“Together, they’ve made CFFD into a world-class organization that attracts the best talent so we can just keep getting better,” adds Ramon. “They’ve all made my job easier. They’re the real winners here. I’m just fortunate to be along for the ride.”
