[Archived] City of Alexandria Fire Chief to Retire

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

City of Alexandria Fire Chief
Tom Hawkins to Retire

Alexandria Fire Chief Thomas M. Hawkins, the 26th fire chief in the City’s history, announced today he will retire by the end of November. Chief Hawkins has been fire chief in Alexandria since June 28,1993.

City Manager Philip Sunderland said the City will soon begin the search for a new fire chief to manage the 281-member department. In accepting Chief Hawkins’ resignation, Mr. Sunderland said: “Tom has done an outstanding job of leading the Alexandria Fire Department. He has been responsible for many major accomplishments within the department. The Alexandria community is particularly indebted to him for his leadership during and following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon. He will be sorely missed and very difficult to replace.”

Chief Hawkins has been fire chief in Alexandria for more than 9 years. Before coming to Alexandria, he served as Arlington County Fire Chief for 15 years. Earlier in his career he was program manager at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD, where he directed the Academy’s executive development programs. He was also an associate professor of fire services at the Northern Virginia Community College and is past president of the Virginia State Fire Chiefs Association. He began his firefighting career as a volunteer.

Accomplishments during Chief Hawkins’ tenure as Alexandria Fire Chief include:

• Formation of the Northern Virginia Hazardous Materials Response Team in 1994 by combining personnel and resources from the Alexandria and Arlington Fire Departments’ Haz Mat teams.

• Initiation of the Waterfront Operations Team in 1997 to assist in the protection of citizens and mariners who use the various waterways in and adjacent to the City for business or recreation. The Team was later renamed the Marine Operations Team to better reflect the multiple roles of the team, which include Open Water and Swift Water Rescue as well as Marine Firefighting.

• Creation of Bike Medic Operations in June 1997 to reduce the time necessary to treat patients stricken at large scale events and in areas of limited accessibility. The program has worked well, providing a boost to community relations and morale for the personnel who ride.

• Launching of the Alexandria Fire Department Citizen Academy in November 2001. The Citizen Academy gives residents an opportunity to learn about the department’s firefighting, emergency medical and other responsibilities, and to participate in some practical training.

• Completion of the Fire Training facility renovation at the Lee Center in 1996 and completion of the Fire Station 204 renovation on Powhatan Street in 2001.
• Addition of a fifth medic unit in October 2001.

• Delivery in May 2002 of a new, 110' straight ladder truck for Station 204.

• Creation of the Be Safe Coalition which is committed to teaching safety to at-risk populations in Alexandria. Activities of the public-private partnership include Risk Watch, a National Fire Prevention Association program which is part of the Alexandria Public Schools curriculum, and helmet safety demonstrations.

• Establishment of the Leadership Education and Development program for all Fire Department supervisors and officers.

The Alexandria Fire Chief manages a department with a $25 million budget, including funding for eight fire stations and five advanced life support units providing 24-hour service. In addition to fire and emergency services, the fire chief is responsible for the City’s emergency preparedness program and the code enforcement bureau.