Michael B. Chandler has been named fire chief at the University of California, Davis, after serving as the campus's interim chief for the past year. Chandler, 47, is assuming full responsibility for all fire-department activities and services effective immediately, said George Reyes, administrator for the Office of Environmental Services. Chandler, only the third salaried fire chief to be named at UC Davis, will head the largest firefighting department in the UC system. The 44-person department provides 24-hour fire protection to more than 1,000 buildings spread across a 5,000-acre campus. The department also provides a full-service fire-prevention bureau at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Chandler's entire professional firefighting service has been with UC Davis, beginning as a student firefighter in 1968. After graduating from UC Davis with a bachelor of science degree in agricultural business management and economics in 1971, Chandler was hired as a UC Davis career firefighter. In his 28-year career, Chandler has worked in all facets of the fire service, including as director of the Yolo County Arson Investigation Unit from 1976 to 1988. Before his professional service began, Chandler, a Yolo County native, responded to fire and rescue emergency calls with his father, Herb Chandler, who was the agricultural commissioner for the county from 1963 to 1983. At that time, the county agricultural department staffed and operated both fire and rescue equipment used to supplement Yolo County fire services. "Chandler is highly respected in the regional fire community and in the Yolo County Firefighters Association, where he serves as president," said Reyes. "He has extensive background in hazardous materials, prevention and suppression disciplines, and brings strong professional credentials to the position of fire chief." "Our department has a major challenge in the coming years to stay abreast of available technology in the area of fire, life and safety issues," Chandler said. "With limited financial resources we need to become innovative in the way we manage our operation." The campus firefighters are some of the most highly trained in the county in managing hazardous materials and high-rise firefighting and rescue techniques. The challenges are more acute on campus than anywhere else in the county, according to the chief, because some of the tallest buildings are located on campus property. '"The credit for our department being well trained goes to the campus administration, which recognizes the value of highly skilled firefighters by providing the budget for specialized training," Chandler said. "One my goals is to further strengthen the automatic-aid agreement with the emergency services in Yolo County," Chandler said. "This shared-resource system will help to contain costs and improve efficiency within the county." Chandler manages an annual budget of $1.7 million that includes fire protection on campus and at the medical center in Sacramento.