Names in the News: April 2, 2023

SHELLY CARTER was named the new chief of the Southbury (CT) Training School Fire Department, making her the first-ever black female chief in the history of New England. Carter is a 24-year fire service veteran who began her career in 1999 when she joined the Hartford (CT) Fire Department. After working as a firefighter for 22 years, she eventually went on to become the operations and trainings manager for the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. In 2015, Carter founded the “Girl’s Future Firefighter Camp,” a first-of-its-kind camp in Connecticut that provides hands-on training and instruction.

DAVID NEELS took over as the new chief of the Montecito (CA) Fire Protection District (MFPD) on April 1. Neels began his firefighting career in 1989 in San Luis Obispo County while earning his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. In 1998, he joined the Santa Barbara County (CA) Fire Department (SBCFD) as a firefighter paramedic. In his 21 years with SBCFD, he rose through the ranks to become an engineer, a captain, and a battalion chief. In November 2019, the MFPD hired Neels as a battalion chief, eventually being promoted to division chief of operations in January 2021.

SHANE DOBSON will take over as the new chief of Woodstock (GA) Fire & Rescue (WFR) on April 24. Dobson began his fire career with the city of Woodstock when he was hired there as a firefighter in 1993. He returns to Woodstock with 30 years of fire service experience combined with extensive training and education. He was most recently the deputy chief for administration at the Roswell (GA) Fire Department. Dobson also served numerous roles with Dekalb (GA) County Fire Rescue, including battalion chief and deputy chief of operations, rising to the rank of deputy chief for Professional Services & Training in 2021.

DAVID FOSTER will take over as the new chief of the Victorville (CA) Fire Department on April 3. Foster has more than 40 years of fire service experience, spending the past two decades as chief of the Village Fire Department in Houston, Texas. Before Houston, Foster was chief for the Dekalb County (GA) Fire Rescue, which serves a population of more than one million people in the Atlanta metro area. Foster also assisted with the development of a new fire department in the Omaha, Nebraska, area.

BRANDON WADE was named the new chief of the Corpus Christi (TX) Fire Department on March 24. Wade is a 24-year-veteran of the Austin (TX) Fire Department (AFD) and commands the AFD’s Operations Division, a team of more than 900 employees. He also is responsible for 51 fire stations in Austin, more than double the number of all Corpus Christi’s fire houses. With the AFD, Wade has held every rank and has experience at the helm of communications and dispatch, special and medical operations, technical response, water rescue, recruiting, and fleet management.