Fire Chief
The history of the fire and rescue service in Montgomery County can be traced back to the 1870s, when residents started their own volunteer fire departments to handle the needs of the local community. In the early 1900s, several communities began creating their own volunteer fire departments, some of which still exist to this day. In 1988, the local fire/rescue employees became County employees, subject to the merit system principles of Montgomery County. In 2004, the County Council passed Bill Number 36-03, amending Montgomery County Code to unify the County's local fire rescue (LFRD) and career fire departments, and created a uniformed, career Fire Chief position, with full authority over all fire, rescue, and emergency medical services in the County, including those provided by the LFRDs.
The Fire Chief is responsible for planning, directing, reviewing, and leading the outreach and education activities and operations of the entire Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. The Chief must be able to work closely with elected leaders, other public safety entities, and key stakeholders to create and maintain sustainable partnerships and advocate for departmental resources to ensure excellence in service delivery. The Chief works collaboratively with the International Association of Fire Fighters #1664, the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, and the Montgomery County Government Employees Organization, as well as the Fire and Emergency Services Commission to fulfill this mission.
Today, there are 35 fire and 2 rescue stations serving one of the most diverse counties in the US, with approximately 1,250 career fire/medical personnel, 100 administrative/professional staff, and 1,400 additional volunteer fire/medical personnel from 19 LFRDs comprising a world class, all-hazards fire and rescue service. In 2023, there were more than 132,000 dispatched calls for service, of which 78% were emergency medical calls. The total approved FY 2023 Operating Budget for the Fire and Rescue Service was $252,665,621. Personnel costs comprise 82 percent of the budget for 1,352 FTEs. The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service has been accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) since 2007.
Learn more via our Recruitment Brochure.
The candidate's background and experience should include strong and effective leadership in a large, complex, urban, multi-station fire and rescue service where all aspects of modern firefighting and emergency medical services responses are encountered. A demonstrated managerial and supervisory role in a combination (career and volunteer) department is ideal. Although the venue of a candidate's experience will be considered, key criteria for selection will be a demonstrated track record of integrity and excellence in leading a learning organization, establishing trust and leading high-performing teams, and a commitment to service and building relationships.
Leading the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) requires an innovative and visionary Fire Chief, capable of understanding modern fire, EMS, risk reduction, and all-hazards practices, and the need to use data for problem solving and assessing community risk and vulnerabilities. The ideal candidate will need a strong work ethic and passion for emergency services, with the ability to focus attention while establishing direction, gaining commitment, and motivating the organization. One should also be comfortable when experiencing conflicting and opposing viewpoints, as well as strongly advocated goals and objectives. This feedback may come from County officials, labor groups, community organizations, and well-established public policy advocacy groups. The Fire Chief should be agile in evaluating suitable alternatives, building consensus, and developing appropriate solutions to foster outcomes that support the vision of a more equitable and inclusive Montgomery County.