Chief Charlie Norman was appointed as the Tulare County Fire Department Fire Chief in January of 2016. He began his career in the fire service in 1985. He has worked with various fire agencies throughout his career and promoted through the ranks from seasonal firefighter to Fire Chief. During his time with Visalia City Fire Department, he worked as a member of the Tulare County Emergency Medical Care Committee to upgrade the local pre-hospital care system to the Paramedic level of care. This was the largest medical upgrade in Tulare County since 1981. At the same time, he established an engine-based paramedic program for Visalia Fire Department was implemented and continues to serve the community.
Chief Norman holds a degree in Fire Science from the College of the Sequoias and majored in Organizational Leadership at Chapman University. He has previously taught at many of the local community colleges over the years. Maintaining connection to the local communities is a top priority. Chief Norman has served on several committees and boards, including as a Councilmember for the City of Exeter, a Tulare County Planning Commissioner, Exeter High School Board of Trustees, and the Exeter Ambulance Board of Directors. He currently serves as the Tulare County Operational Area Coordinator, is on the Tulare County Audit Committee, Friends of Tulare County Board, Tulare/Kings Fire Chiefs Association, and Visalia Planning Commission.
Throughout his public safety career, Chief Norman has maintained a steady focus on building community relationships and providing the best fire suppression and emergency services possible. He imparts the importance of working hard, telling the truth, and maintaining a passion for the job to all industry personnel and local stakeholders.
Chief Norman has been married to his wife Madaline for 36 years and together have raised 3 adult children: Nate, Kirby, and Jake. He enjoys baseball, fishing, and working on classic cars.
Related Episodes
Send us a textThis week I stepped way outside my comfort zone and spoke with Tulare County Fire Chief, Charlie Norman. I can confidently say that many nurses do not fully understand what firefighters do. We often see them in the ambulance bay and in our communities, but do we really take the time to...
