Longtime Fairfax City Firefighter Named Department's New Chief

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Shawn Dunstan, a 24-year veteran of the Fairfax City Fire Department who has served as its acting chief since July, has been selected as the department's permanent fire chief following a national search.

The Fairfax City Council selected Dunstan for the position on Tuesday. He replaces former Fire Chief John O'Neal, who retired in July.

Dunstan, 45, will oversee a department with 85 full-time equivalent positions and a $17.2 million budget for fiscal year 2027. He will also serve on City Manager Dan Alexander's executive leadership team.

"Chief Dunstan brings years of service, preparation, and leadership to this role," Alexander said. "He knows our department and community well, and we have great confidence in his ability to build on a strong foundation while preparing the department for the future."

The selection followed a national recruitment effort launched in July. More than 30 people applied, eight participated in virtual interviews and three finalists advanced through additional interviews and presentations.

Dunstan joined the Fairfax City Fire Department as a fire medic in 2002 and worked his way through the ranks, serving as lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and assistant fire chief of fire and rescue.

His firefighting career began in 1993 as a junior member of the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department, where he later served as fire chief from 2008 to 2011.

"I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as Fairfax City's next fire chief," Dunstan said. "My focus will be on protecting what works, improving where we can, and leading with trust, humility, and transparency."

Dunstan holds a bachelor's degree in management from Bellevue University and a master's degree in public administration from George Mason University. He is also a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program and the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Fire Service Executive Development Institute.

He helped establish the Northern Virginia Leadership Development Institute, which has trained more than 600 fire officers. His honors include a Silver Medal of Valor in 2005, Fire Officer of the Year in 2013 and a Chamber of Commerce Lifesaving Award in 2024.

The Fairfax City Fire Department operates from two stations, providing firefighting, emergency medical services, technical rescue, fire prevention and emergency preparedness services.

In 2025, the department responded to 9,482 incidents, transported 3,133 patients to hospitals and completed approximately 8,600 inspections, according to city officials.

The department serves Fairfax City and surrounding response areas through Northern Virginia's regional emergency response system.