Portland’s new fire chief says she’s here ‘for the long haul,’ embraces bureau’s challenges

Lauren Johnson wanted to be a doctor.

To get a leg up in her pre-med studies, the young Texan undertook EMT training and went on ride-alongs with San Antonio firefighters. She found the work challenging and, to her surprise, deeply satisfying.

“I just loved the environment,” she said in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive. “I loved the team aspect. I loved that the job was different every day.”

She switched her career focus, and now, nearly three decades later, Johnson is Portland Fire & Rescue’s new chief.

Johnson, 49, started in her new role on Aug. 18. Before landing in Portland, she spent 26 years with Dallas Fire-Rescue, the fire department in the Lone Star State’s third-largest city. Over her years in the department, she rose to deputy fire chief and became known for her