Dana Massey became Katy's first female fire chief in June after 27 years with the department. She replaced Kenneth Parker, who retired Feb. 2 after five years leading the Katy Fire Department.

Massey had served as interim chief since Parker's departure, according to Community Impact, which profiled her in an Oct. 7 Q&A. She started as a paramedic in a mostly volunteer operation that covered territory stretching nearly to Highway 290 with a single ambulance.

"It certainly wasn't anything I ever expected to be when I came here in 1999. I never aspired to be a chief … I feel fortunate that I ended here, but it certainly wasn't something that I was expecting to do and to be the first female fire chief, for sure it feels good," Massey told Community Impact.

Massey grew up in a family of firefighters. Her father served with the Houston Fire Department, and her brothers volunteered in East Houston. Before joining Katy in October 1999, she worked at the Baytown and Galena Park fire departments. The city named her its 2021 Employee of the Year.

Priorities: ISO rating, new station, staffing

Massey outlined three goals for her tenure. First is keeping the department's ISO Class 1 fire-protection rating. The renewal process is underway.

Second is building Station 4 at Texas Heritage Marketplace, a 165-acre development along Interstate 10 at Texas Heritage Parkway. The station will sit on Heritage Oak Lane, in Waller County outside city limits but within Katy's extraterritorial jurisdiction, Covering Katy reported. The city's comprehensive plan calls for it to house a pumper vehicle, a medical unit and 12 personnel.

Massey said architects Slattery Tackett Associates are meeting with the department every other week. She put the target opening at summer 2028.

Third is reaching 100% staffing. Massey acknowledged the department has "a little bit of a retention issue" and said she has two new assistant chiefs in place to help manage the workload.

Growth since 1999

When Massey arrived in 1999, rice fields were still visible around Katy and the mall was under construction. The department has grown alongside the city's westward expansion, which now includes master-planned communities such as Cane Island, Cross Creek Ranch and Sunterra along the Texas Heritage Parkway corridor.

Massey said she also plans to pursue grants to help fund continued growth. The city's proposed $90 million budget for the current fiscal year includes $11.7 million in general-fund fire department spending, along with $2.655 million for a ladder truck and $580,000 for an ambulance. The city council was scheduled to vote on the budget Sept. 28; adoption has not been confirmed in public records.

Design work on Station 4 continues, with biweekly meetings between the department and Slattery Tackett running through the fall.