Lia Russell
Howard County Times, Columbia, Md.
(TNS)
Sep. 10—Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. said Tuesday that he has nominated Joseph W. Dixon to be Baltimore County fire chief following Joanne Rund’s departure in July.
Dixon, a Baltimore native who previously served for 25 years in Howard County, would be Baltimore County’s first Black fire chief, according to Olszewski. Assistant Fire Chief Scott Ebbert has served as interim leader since Rund announced her retirement to join the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
“Keeping our communities safe is among the most sacred responsibilities of local government, and finding the right person to lead the fire department and its valued members is critical to its success,” Olszewski said in a news release. “I look forward to Chief Dixon getting started in this position and carrying on the department’s legacy of excellence.”
Dixon most recently served as chief of Gainesville Fire Rescue in Florida. He said he would step down from that job Sept. 20, according to The Gainesville Sun. Before then he had served as fire chief in Goldsboro, North Carolina, since March 2021 after retiring from the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue in June 2018. He joined that department in 1993, working his way up to assistant chief of operations.
Dixon said he was “honored and humbled” by Olszewski’s nomination: “I am confident that my new teammates will provide me with the support needed to hit the ground running and continue this department’s legacy of excellent service. Baltimore County residents deserve an all-hazards response organization that prioritizes safety.”
Dixon will begin serving after the County Council approves his nomination, according to county spokesperson Erica Palmisano. He will earn $250,000 annually.
The Baltimore County Fire Department has struggled in recent years, as staffing issues have plagued it and other departments around the country. Last summer, members of the county firefighters’ union voted they had “no confidence” in top fire leaders, though a vote naming Rund failed to pass. The state labor department cited the fire agency earlier this year and said the response to a July 2023 fire in Reisterstown was hampered by a lack of equipment, uncoordinated leadership and little training that exposed firefighters to risk of death or injury.
Originally Published:September 10, 2024 at 9:58 a.m.
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