Joel Aranaz, Training Chief

Chief Aranaz began his fire service career with the Fresno Fire Department in February 1977. Over the course of his career he has held the positions of firefighter, engineer, captain, battalion chief, deputy chief, and interim fire chief.

Chief Aranaz was a certified paramedic from 1980 until the Department dropped its paramedic program in July 1994. He has served in administrative positions as Paramedic Liaison Officer, Assistant Training Officer, Training Officer, and Fire Marshal. Joel has served the citizens of Fresno through every bureau and division within the Department.

Chief Aranaz is a graduate of Fresno State earning his B.A. degree in Zoology. He worked as an adjunct instructor for Fresno City College and the Training Institute for 14 years. He holds a lifetime, limited service teaching credential from the State of California.

This will be Chief Aranaz’s second stint as the Department’s Training Officer.

Key Responsibilities - Executive manager responsible for directing all activities within the Training and Support Services Division consisting of the following Sections: Training, Supply, Communications, Apparatus Repair and Maintenance, and Fire Station maintenance.   

Todd Tuggle, Captain/Assistant Training Officer-Training 1

Captain Tuggle has served with the Fresno Fire Department for seven years, the last three as a Company Officer. Capt. Tuggle assisted in multiple training academies as an EMS instructor and subject matter expert for various operational modules. He is also a qualified GIS Specialist and currently works with Cal Fire Incident Management Team 10 as lead GIS technician. Capt. Tuggle holds a B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and CSFM Fire Officer and Fire Instructor certifications.

Key Responsibilities - Assistant Training Officer responsible for: development of monthly training; multicompany drills; Post Incident Analyses; Incident Safety; and coordination with the Central Valley Training Officers Association.

Training 2

Vacant for FY11.

Carolyn Sadoian, Training Officer/EMS Coordinator

Carolyn joined the Fresno Fire Department Training Division in December 2006. She accidentally began her career in EMS in 1981. She was hired as an EMT by the local ambulance agency while working her way through college. After graduating with a B.S. degree in Health Science from CSU Fresno, she continued on in the EMS arena by attending paramedic training at Daniel Freeman Hospital in Southern California. Upon returning to Fresno, she worked as a Paramedic for seven years while she completed her A.A. degree in Registered Nursing from Fresno City College.

She has twenty years of clinical experience as an RN in the Emergency Department at a Level 1 Trauma Center. Carolyn has remained active in EMS and continues to work and teach in the hospital and prehospital setting.

Key Responsibilities - Civilian Training Officer, EMS Coordinator responsible for Quality Assurance and compliance of the EMT program; EMT training and continuing education; liaison to the local EMS agency, hospitals and local ALS/BLS providers; Safety Committee member; and infection control liaison.

Christine Boozer, Training Officer/Curriculum Specialist

Christine began her career with the Fresno City Fire Department in March 2007, and serves as curriculum specialist. She completed her B.A. degree at CSU Fresno, her California teaching credential from Fresno Pacific University, and her M.S. Ed. degree with an emphasis in Online Learning and Teaching at CSU Hayward. Christine brings over twenty years of experience in the fields of education and training, technology and human resources.

Key Responsibilities - Civilian Training Officer, Curriculum Specialist responsible for: course design; development, implementation and administration of the Distributive Learning Program and Learning Management System (LMS); maintenance of the Training Records Management System; website development and maintenance; working with outside agencies (CJAC, FCC, CSF, CSTI, NFA) for course certification and program reporting; and course development and delivery.

Judi Huss, Senior Secretary

Judi has been a member of the Department’s Training Division team for over four years and brings more than twenty years of office management experience in both the private and public sectors. In addition, she holds a B.A. degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Minnesota.

Key Responsibilities - Division Senior Secretary