Aurora Fire Rescue announced the appointment of a former firefighter and department leader with more than 30 years of fire service experience to assistant fire chief, a newly created position to assist the department as it grows.

Hunter Hackbarth, who assumed his new duties as of March 11, will report directly to AFR Chief Alec Oughton in a variety of responsibilities that will help the department continue to grow successfully, according to a news release.

Hackbarth, who is in his second week in the position, has 34 years of experience in fire service, 25 of which have been with AFR. 

His career began with Richfield Fire Department in Minnesota. He then joined AFR in 1995 as a firefighter and EMT. He has since moved up through various leadership roles in the department, serving as an officer, lieutenant and captain in fire investigations, life safety acting deputy chief, suppressions bureau battalion chief, training chief, acting deputy chief of operations and inspection/investigation commander. 

Most recently, he served with South Adams County Fire District as battalion chief followed by division chief of training. 

His wide variety of roles and experience across various departments make him a well-rounded assistant fire chief, he told The Denver Gazette Tuesday.

In his new role, he will be working with Chief Oughton to examine and implement department goals, work on large projects, make decisions and ensure they get done, and mentor and collaborate with commanders and battalion chiefs, he said.

Hackbarth will also stand in for Oughton when he’s out, providing the department with leadership in emergency situations when Oughton is unavailable.

A vital part of his role includes active listening and staying engaged, he said. With so much going on in the department, it’s important that caring for people and ensuring everybody is heard are his top priorities, he said.

In a career that quickly evolves and in a city that is quickly growing, he needs to stay engaged to be a good leader, he said, laughing that the reason he’ll probably have to retire from fire service will be technology outpacing his ability to keep up. 

“When I started, we were ten fire houses, and we’re now 17,” he said. “We’ve seen some significant growth in the city.”

Part of the growth includes growing diversity in the city, he said, which is “fantastic,” but adds a layer of challenge to the department’s growth. 

“We have to make sure that we can provide people with the same level of service across the board because everyone in our city deserves the same level of service no matter their social, economic or language barriers,” he said. 

Part of that challenge has been met with technological advances, he said, such as instant language translation services and the ability to communicate to a wider audience via social media, but he said the department is focused on ensuring “really great service and timely service” for everyone as the city grows and still has a lot of work to do.

Having worked in the city of Aurora for a long time and lived in the city on and off, Hackbarth said the people are what keep him coming back. 

“I’m proud and fortunate to get to work with the members of Aurora Fire Rescue,” he said. “They’re my second family and to have the opportunity to be the assistant chief and work with them is really an honor for me.”

Hackbarth is also excited to work alongside his son, who is a firefighter with AFR, he said. As a third generation firefighter, Hackbarth said the opportunity to finish his career working with his son is a special opportunity.

While he loves his career, he has also always had a passion for meteorology, he said —an interest that can play a major role in fire management. 

Especially when it comes to long range planning, he said, Hackbarth’s knowledge of meteorology and weather patterns can help with mitigation. Knowing where weather can create higher fire danger, such as with wind conditions, can help the department plan in advance.

Hackbarth’s parents wanted him to go to college to be a meteorologist, but watching his dad fight fires as a kid drew him into firefighting, he said. 

“The idea of watching my dad as a young kid serve the community and be there when people needed it really drove me into fire service,” Hackbarth said. “You get to work with great people and you get to help people when they really need somebody to step up and take care of them.”

Hackbarth said he’s excited for the new position and the opportunity to serve Aurora. 

“I’m super excited to be in this position and to have the opportunity to work with Chief Oughton and the whole staff,” he said.

AFR has 17 total fire stations, 17 engines, six ladder trucks, four medical service units and other resources.

In 2022, AFR responded to almost 58,000 emergency calls, saved about $167 million worth of Aurora property, completed over 8,000 fire inspections and completed 181 fire investigations, according to its most recent annual report. 

This is an increase from 2012 of about 20,000 calls and $128 million dollars of saved property. Ten years ago, AFR reported responding to almost 38,000 calls and saving about $39 million of property value.