Montgomery County, MD Fire Chief Richard Bowers was named chief of Fairfax County, Va. on Tuesday.
Bowers will take over April 29 for Chief Ronald L. Mastin, who plans to retire May 7.
A 35-year veteran of the fire and rescue service in Montgomery County, Bowers succeeded Tom Carr, who left to head the Charleston Fire Department in 2008.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors made the following announcement: "...Bowers has served as MCFRS fire chief since 2008, managing the combined (career and volunteer) service of over 2,100 firefighters/rescuers. While serving as chief, he managed an operating budget of $204 million and a six-year capital improvement program budget of $44 million.
Bowers began in Montgomery County as a firefighter/EMT, rising through the ranks in numerous positions. He served in every rank in the department up to and including fire chief. A Pentagon and Hurricane Katrina New Orleans Citation Award recipient, he was Montgomery County’s Firefighter of the Year in 1985 and received the Marvin Gibbons Award for Excellence in Firefighter I – Recruit Class 35-1977.
