City of Brenham, Texas

COMMAND STAFF

Fire Chief Ricky Boeker

Chief Boeker is a lifelong resident of Brenham and a 1977 graduate of Brenham High School. He joined the Department in May, 1988 and advanced through the ranks of volunteers to be elected Chief in 2005. In January, 2008 Boeker was named the City of Brenham's first paid fire chief. He also serves as the City's Emergency Management Coordinator.

Boeker has been an instructor for Texas A&M Municipal Fire School since 2000. He received Firefighter of the Year in 1995 and again in 2007. He was also named the Central Texas Fireman's and Fire Marshal Firefighter of the Year in 1996.

Boeker and his wife, Virginia, have been married since 1982; they have two children and three grandchildren.

Deputy Chief/ Fire Marshal Alan Finke

Finke has spent all of his adult life in Brenham, moving here from Navasota, TX in 1970 while still a high school student. He attended Blinn College from 1972 to 1974 and began his public safety career in 1974 at age 20 as a patrol officer with the Brenham Police Department. Finke joined the Brenham Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter in 1976, while working as an Emergency Medical Technician with a local ambulance service. He was hired by the Fire Department as an Apparatus Operator on April 1, 1978 and worked in that capacity for 15 years.

Finke was promoted to Captain in 1991 and served as Deputy Fire Marshal until being promoted to Fire Marshal in 1993. In 1996, he was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal and continues to serve in that capacity today.

Finke is certified by the State of Texas as a Firefighter, Fire Inspector, Arson Investigator, Fire Instructor and Master Peace Officer. He is a national board-certified fire investigator holding the International Association of Arson Investigators "Certified Fire Investigator" status. Finke is a two-time member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Chapter of the IAAI, and is currently serving as president of that organization. He was named Brenham Firefighter of the Year in 1992.

Finke and his wife, were married in 1975 and have three children and one grandchild.

First Assistant Chief Ronald Bentke

Bentke has been with the Brenham Fire Department since March, 1992. He was elected to the position of First Assistant in January, 2010. Prior to that, he served as District Chief. Bentke oversees the maintenance at the Fireman's Training Center. He also heads up the Department's annual Fish Fry.

Bentke attained his advanced certification from the State Fireman's and Fire Marshal's Association of Texas.

Bentke was named Firefighter of the Year in 2000. He and his wife Jeri have two children. Bentke works for Blue Bell Creameries and loves being a Brenham firefighter.

Second Assistant Fire Chief Michael Draehn

District Chief Derek Janner

Janner is a lifelong residfent of Brenham and a 2001 graduate of Brenham High School. He joined the department in October 2005 and was elected District Chief in 2008. He has attained his Intermediate Certification through SFFMA and is a Red Cross CPR/First Aid Instructor.

Janner currently serves as the secretary/treasurer for the Washington County Firefighters' Association. He and his wife Michelle married in 2005 and have one daughter. He works for MIC Group.

District Chief Robert Aguilar

Rob Aguilar joined the Fire Department in September 2009 and was recently elected District Chief. He retired from the San Antonio Fire Department in 2006 and moved here in 2007. Rob's career spanned 34 years and included the responsibilities of fire fighter, lieutenant, engineer, apparatus operator, Haz-Mat technician, EMT, company officer and instructor. He currently holds a master certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and has an associates degree in Fire Science from San Antonio College. Rob also has a bachelor of science degree in Fire Science from Suffield University.

Rob will assist with the maintenance and operation of the Fire Training Center, training firefighters, fire prevention duties as well as fire fighting. He and his wife, Wanda, have been married since 1970 and have two children and two grandchildren.

Administrative Secretary Linda Andrew

Ms. Andrew became the Fire Department's administrative secretary in January, 1999. She has been a member of the Ladie's Auxiliary for many years while her husband, Don, was a volunteer firefighter. The position of administrative secretary became fulltime in October, 2005.

A-Shift

Captain Adam Heath Mahlmann

Mahlmann was hired as an Apparatus Operator in October, 1993. He promoted to Captain in March 2007. Mahlmann recently graduated from the Central Texas Law Enforcement Academy and is commissioned as a police officer and arson investigator. He holds certifications as an Advanced Arson Investigator, Advanced Firefighter and Inspector. Mahlmann is also a Fire Service Instructor II. He is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress in HazMat Operations, Fire Fighter II, Fire Investigator, Fire Inspector II and Plan Examiner I.

Apparatus Operator Gregory (Tank) Nienstedt

Tank joined the Fire Department in April 1983. As a volunteer, he served as Training Coordinator and Second Assistant Chief. Tank promoted from the volunteer ranks to Apparatus Operator in April 2000. He was chosen as Firefighter of the Year in 1989.

Apparatus Operator Chad Dismukes

Dismukes joined the Brenham Fire Department as a volunteer in February 2000. He is a lifelong resident of Brenham and is a 2000 graduate of Brenham High School. Dismukes is also a graduate of Blinn College's EMT-B program and the Texas A&M Fire Academy. He was promoted to Appartus Operator in July, 2001. Dismukes handles the Fire Department's purchasing and issuing of uniforms and personal protective equipment. He is certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection as Fire Fighter-Advanced, Driver-Operator and Instructor 1. Dismukes and his wife, Amanda, were married in August, 2009. She is a math teacher and assistant softball coach at Brenham High School.

Apparatus Operator Justin Schroeder

Justin is a graduate of Brenham High School and Texas A&M Fire Academy and was hired in January 2010. He is also certified as an EMT. Justin is married, and his wife, Janice, is a fifth grade teacher at First Baptist.

B-Shift

Captain Douglas Maurer

Maurer was hired as an Apparatus Operator in October 1978 and promoted to Captain in 2002.

Apparatus Operator Brian Scheffer

Scheffer joined as a volunteer in May 1997. He promoted to the rank of Apparatus Operator in July 2000 and has served as the Department's Training Coordinator since January 2004. Scheffer was named Firefigher of the Year in 2001 and 2008.

Apparatus Operator Brett Schroeder

Schroeder joined the Brenham Fire Department as a volunteer in August 2001. He was promoted to Apparatus Opetator in June 2003.

Apparatus Operator Cody Wagner

Graduate of Burton High School and Texas A&M Fire Academy

C-Shift

Captain Allan Hinze

Hinse was hired as an Apparatus Operator in March 1972. He promoted to Captain in 1978. HInze has been named Firefighter of the Year twice - in 1990 and 2007.

Apparatus Operator Cecil Wright