By South County Fire | Press Release

Michael Fitzgerald will be joining South County Fire as Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention. Fitzgerald comes to South County Fire from Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue where he most recently served as Deputy Chief of Community Risk Reduction.

“Assistant Chief Fitzgerald is a well-respected leader in fire prevention and risk reduction in our region, our county and our state. Our prevention team and the people of south Snohomish County will benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience,” said Fire Chief Thad Hovis.

Fitzgerald is the president of the Snohomish County Fire Prevention Association, the president of the Northwest Washington Chapter of the International Code Council and serves as the treasurer of the Fire 7 Foundation.

He began his career in emergency services in 1987. His early career as an emergency medical technician and paramedic included working in five Washington counties. Fitzgerald joined the Monroe Fire Department as a firefighter / paramedic in 1995. He promoted to fire inspector in 2002, and fire marshal in 2004. Fitzgerald also served 12 years as fire chief of Snohomish County Fire District 28 in Index.

He holds an associate degree in fire command administration, a bachelor’s degree in paramedicine and is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration.

Fitzgerald said his areas of interest and importance in the fire service include institutionalization of continuous improvement, strengthening existing community partnerships and making data-informed decisions.  “I’m excited to work with the team at South County Fire and want to help the team envision and execute contemporary approaches to community protection, preparedness and planning,” he said.

South County Fire provides fire and emergency medical services with 14 neighborhood fire stations serving more than 250,000 residents of Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and unincorporated south Snohomish County.