NOTN- The City and Borough of Juneau has appointed Thomas Hatley as the new fire chief for Capital City Fire Rescue, his role officially begins today.
City officials said Hatley’s three decades of experience across multiple fire agencies in the Northwest made him a strong fit for Juneau. He has held a range of leadership positions during his career, including fire chief, deputy fire chief, assistant chief and fire marshal.
“Fire chief is always tricky because there are lots of people that you have to please, including the public.” Said Mayor Beth Weldon, “Trying to bring things under control is difficult in an ever-changing world, being at a fire scene is chaotic at best. I know that the firefighters are looking forward to a new chief, so hopefully Chief Hatley will fit the build and also try to revive some of our volunteers.”
Hatley said he is looking forward to joining Capital City Fire Rescue and building on the work of his predecessor.
“I am honored to join the City and Borough of Juneau and the dedicated professionals of Capital City Fire Rescue,” shared Chief Hatley. “After more than three decades in the fire service, I have learned that the strongest departments are built on relationships, trust, and pride in serving the community.”
He also thanked retiring Fire Chief Rich Etheridge.
As fire chief, Hatley will serve as the administrative leader of Capital City Fire Rescue, overseeing emergency response and preparedness, fire prevention and community risk reduction, strategic planning, workforce development, interagency relations and community engagement.
