From Bureau Chief to Fire Chief While Building a New Department from the Ground Up – Lessons Learned (with Fire Chief Clint Smith) Ep|83

Fire Chief Clint Smith never set out to be a Fire Chief—let alone the first-ever Chief of Draper City Fire Department in Utah. But when the Mayor tapped him to build a brand-new department from the ground up in just nine months, Smith took on the challenge. In this episode, he shares how he navigated overwhelming pressure “one day at a time,” the importance of building strong relationships, and why there’s no playbook for leadership—you write it as you go. He also reflects on Utah’s statewide fight for firefighter cancer screenings and offers advice to young firefighters: don’t limit yourself, because you never know what doors will open.