HoCo's First Female Assistant Chief Accepted Into Special Program

From HoCo: Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services (HCDFRS) announces the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has accepted Assistant Chief Joanne Rund into the Fire Service Executive Development Institute. Chief Rund competed with new fire chiefs and chief officers from across the United States and Canada to become a member of the 2019 cohort program. Along with being accepted into the program, Chief Rund has been awarded a scholarship which covers the associated expenses.

“Like our new Fire Chief Christine Uhlhorn, Chief Joanne Rund is yet another trailblazer in Howard County and this program will give her an additional launching pad for further success in her career,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services is and will continue to be a national and international model of diversity and opportunity for all within the fire and rescue industry.” Chief Rund joined HCDFRS in 1987 as a firefighter/EMT, rose through the ranks, and in 2013, she was promoted to Assistant Chief of the, then new, Bureau of Occupational Safety and Health. As the department’s first female Assistant Chief and Health and Safety Officer, Chief Rund manages a staff of uniform personnel, civilian employees, and all aspects of the comprehensive Health and Safety program. Chief Rund has served in a leadership role for 24 of her 31 years of service. “Joanne is an exemplary fire officer, mentor, and innovative leader within our department,” said Fire Chief Christine M. Uhlhorn. “Chief Rund’s acceptance to this program will allow her to continue to grow in her current role and prepare her for new challenges.”

The Fire Service Executive Development Institute is a year-long leadership-development program created and implemented by the IAFC to provide new and aspiring chiefs with the tools they need in order to have successful and productive tenures. The members of the cohort will meet on January 20, 2019 for their first six-day session, in addition to two other sessions, scheduled six months apart. The group will communicate between sessions using an online community. For more information, please contact the Office of Community Outreach and Media Affairs at 410-313-6039.

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