Daryl C. Arbuthnott, a nearly 36-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, will take over as Davis’ fire chief on July 17, City Manager Dirk Brazil announced Tuesday.
Arbuthnott has served in several communities, such as Brentwood, downtown L.A., the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood. His ranks include firefighter, fire inspector, fire captain I and II, battalion chief, assistant chief and deputy chief.
During his tenure, he managed and oversaw 39 fire stations, an air operations section and 1,117 uniformed members.
“Chief Arbuthnott is a strong addition to our management team,” Brazil said. “He has a tremendous amount of practical operations experience, a proven commitment to community involvement and an incredible enthusiasm for the work. We are lucky to have him.”
During his career, Arbuthnott has led firefighters in many nationally recognized incidents, including large-scale brush fires, blazes in high-rises and commercial buildings, swift-water rescue emergencies, active-shooter incidents and special planned events.
His skills in the areas of organizational leadership and strategy extend into training, mentoring and the development of firefighters, Brazil said. He also brings with him a reputation of professionalism and a commitment to civic engagement.
In 2009, Arbuthnott spearheaded a campaign to implement a mentorship program geared at providing young fire department members the opportunity for professional growth and development, ultimately supporting the department’s succession plan.
Arbuthnott earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Union Institute & University and a master of business administration degree in risk management, business continuity and security from Boston University.
He will focus his efforts on ensuring that the department’s response capabilities and resources match the city’s emergency service demands and establishing public and private partnerships.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected to take the helm of a great fire department,” Arbuthnott said in a statement. “I look forward to sharing my leadership skills with the city of Davis and engaging the residents in community preparation.”
In January 2014, the city of Davis and UC Davis fire departments entered into a shared management agreement. UC Davis Fire Chief Nathan Trauernicht assumed the role as fire chief of both departments.
The shared management agreement was designed to maximize the use of existing resources, reduce duplication of effort and to explore the potential for new efficiencies, while maintaining local control and high-quality emergency services.
On May 1, the shared management agreement was terminated at the request of UCD, which cited multiple challenges in managing two fire departments under single leadership.