County Executive Doug Duncan announced that he has named Thomas West Carr, Jr. to the position of Fire Chief, for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service.
In May 2004 the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved legislation to create a more unified command and control structure for the County Fire and Rescue Service. The legislation establishes for the first time the position of a uniformed County Fire Chief who would have authority to administer, direct and originate fire and rescue operations for the entire Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, career and volunteer.
Other provisions of the new legislation include elimination of the current position of Fire Administrator, the seven-member Fire and Rescue Commission will be retained as a review board to assist the new chief; and the Chief of the Division of Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services will be enhanced with a clear role in the administration, recruitment, retention and promotion of volunteer personnel and facilities.
Chief Tom Carr, who has over 30 years of fire and rescue experience, began his public safety career in Montgomery County in 1978 as a paramedic/fire fighter and has risen through the ranks to Assistant Chief and last May was appointed by County Executive Douglas Duncan as Chief for the Division of Fire and Rescue Services. He was unanimously approved by the County Council, in May 2003. Tom Carr had previously volunteered with the Bethesda-Chase Chase Rescue Squad where he is a Life Member.
Prior to being appointed Chief for the Division of Fire and Rescue Services last year, Carr had been the Assistant Chief of Operations and Special Projects and during the same time served for five years as a commissioner on the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Commission.
Carr
