Verizon Frontline Adds Former Phoenix Chief to First Responder Advisory Council

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Verizon Frontline today introduced Chief Kara Kalkbrenner (Ret.), former chief of the Phoenix Fire Department, as the newest member of the Verizon First Responder Advisory Council (VFRAC), bringing 37 years of public safety experience to this new role.

Kalkbrenner was one of six women in fire chief roles in major U.S. metropolitan fire departments. She led 2,300 public safety professionals while overseeing a budget of more than $550 million as Phoenix’s fire chief, and also served as the co-chair of the Women Fire Chiefs Council for the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).

Kalkbrenner joined the Phoenix Fire Department in 1985, and served in every operational capacity within the department’s six divisions, including operations (fire and emergency medical services response), fire prevention, human resources, physical resources, information technology and training.

"Joining the Verizon First Responder Advisory Council is the perfect opportunity for me to work directly with the Verizon Frontline team to provide the first-hand perspective of the fire safety community," said Kalkbrenner. "I’m so looking forward to joining this council of distinguished public safety professionals and career public servants as we work together to ensure that every first responder has the advanced network and technology they need to help keep themselves and our communities safe."

The VFRAC advises Verizon Frontline on various aspects of its work with public safety agencies including strategy, product development and public policy initiatives, helping to ensure the services and solutions developed for public safety meet the needs of first responders.

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders – developed over nearly three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies on the front lines – to meet their unique and evolving needs.