New Fairfax County Fire Chief Appointed

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has appointed John S. Butler as chief of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department to replace retired Chief Richard Bowers. The appointment is effective on Sept. 1.

Butler has served as chief for the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue since 2014 and has been with the department since 1993. He began his career as a firefighter-paramedic and served in roles such as battalion chief, emergency medical services chief and administrative chief. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, serving 21 years and two combat tours.

"We had a number of strong candidates, however, Chief Butler demonstrated the leadership, vision and communications skills that will move our excellent Fire and Rescue Department forward," said County Executive Bryan Hill in a statement. "His proven experience and successful leadership at the helm of a large department will continue to strengthen our culture and contribute to a positive future for the department."

In Howard County, Chief Butler expanded fire and rescue services, hired the most diverse firefighter/paramedic trainee class in the department’s history, helped establish the first and only local affiliate of the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services (iWomen), established numerous community outreach programs, led the construction of several fire stations and improved service delivery and response times.

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Butler has a master's degree in management from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Baltimore. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and holds a certificate from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Leadership in Crisis Program. A member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Human Relations Committee and Maryland’s Emergency Medical Services Board, he has also received Johns Hopkins University’s Global Achievement Award for his humanitarian work in Africa.

Butler will receive a salary of $201,878.77, according to the county. Interim Chief John Caussin will continue leading the department until Butler steps into his role in September.

The new chief will be tasked with moving the department forward after claims of how it hasn't improved the work environment for women. The issue took the spotlight after firefighter Nicole Mittendorff's 2016 suicide and battalion chief Kathleen Stanley's resignation letter. Bowers announced his retirement less than a month after Stanley's letter and allegations against the department had been leaked to the media.

Image via Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue