By Steven Alford
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — New Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha spent his first night in town Sunday in a familiar setting — at a fire station.
He ate pork barbecue, salad and baked potatoes with firefighters and was awakened in the night to the sound of fire alarms.
It was the first time in more than a decade the retired Kansas City fire administrator has stayed at a station overnight, he said. “It gave me a renewed perspective of what it’s like for our firefighters,” Rocha said.
Now, it’s time for him to get to work.
On Monday, Rocha settled into his new office on the third floor of the fire department administration building on Leopard Street with a long list of things he wants to accomplish.
He is meeting with fire commanders to assess the department and what employees want to improve.
Rocha plans to take a hard look at the department’s response times and find ways to improve them.
He wants to visit every station for every shift and listen to employee concerns and find extra funds for the cash-strapped department.
He also hopes to rework the department’s hurricane plan. On Monday, one of Rocha’s first meetings was with emergency management staff, planning for the next big hurricane in the Coastal Bend.
“We want to make sure the department is capable of managing an event of that size,” Rocha said. “Few can do it, but we can be prepared to do the best job we can.”
He also wants to provide more training opportunities for firefighters, something in which many have expressed an interest.
“For me as a fire chief, it’s encouraging they want to expand their horizons,” he said.
Of course, another priority is finding a place to live.
Rocha plans to fly back to Kansas City for Christmas to spend the holidays with his wife and kids, who already are calling him constantly for updates.
“I miss them already,” said Rocha, a portrait of his smiling family nearby. Though he’s on his own for now, Rocha said he has already been made to feel welcome.
While opening a bank account, someone recognized him and welcomed him to the city.
It’s something he loves about the area, Rocha said. “It’s a big city but it has a small-town feel to it,” he said.
The department has a familiar feel since it’s almost the same size as the one he served in Kansas City for nearly three decades, Rocha said.
He will oversee 414 firefighters and cadets, 16 civilian employees and an operating budget of $42 million, city staff have said.
Having parents from Mexico and being fluent in Spanish also will help his transition to the area, he said.
“Obviously, the Hispanic culture was a draw for me, but more than that, it’s the Texas culture which I love,” Rocha said. “I think this is going to be a really good fit.”
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