Prince William Assistant Fire Chief Will Lead Manassas Fire Crews

The City of Manassas is getting a new fire and rescue chief, the city manager's office announced Friday.

Prince William Assistant Fire Chief  Brett R. Bowman has been appointed to lead the combination volunteer and career fire and rescue system in Manassas  starting May 2.

"Chief Bowman's broad experience in fire, rescue and emergency management operations in a combined volunteer and career fire and rescue system similar to the city's make him almost uniquely qualified to be the city fire and rescue chief," Manassas City Manager Lawrence D. Hughes said.

Chief Bowman began his service as a firefighter right here in Manassas at the volunteer fire company before becoming chief of the Stonewall Jackson Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Squad.

"I am confident that his experience as a career and volunteer fire and rescue chief will contribute to his success in the Manassas fire and rescue system," Mr. Hughes said.

Bowman is currently serving as the assistant fire chief in Prince William County, where he has served for 20 years, according to his profile on firefighternation.com—yet another reason Mr. Hughes is confident in his ability to lead in Manassas.

"Additionally, the city and county fire and rescue systems already work together as first responders daily,"  Mr. Hughes said.

The chief received a Master of Public Administration degree from George Mason University and is certified as an Executive fire officer from the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, in Pennsylvania.

Dale McCleese, a retired fire and rescue battalion chief for Prince William County, will continue to serve as interim chief for the fire and rescue department in Manassas until Bowman takes over in May.

The announcement comes just weeks after a study found that the Manassas Fire and Rescue System does not have consistent staffing of its stations and lacks accountability and oversight chiefly because it does not have a unified mission statement or vision. 

City officials requested the study in July 2010 because, “the current operational dynamics within the city of Manassas Fire and Rescue System are organizationally challenged and exacerbated by severe economic challenges.”

“Many volunteers are concerned that the career department will take control of all fire and rescue operations and demand unobtainable changes, which will lead to total control and the elimination of volunteers, specifically increased training demands and loss of funding,” the study states. “The inclusion of the volunteers in the development process of a vision statement is critical.”

Former Manassas Fire and Rescue Chief Mike Wood resigned the position in December 2010.  He served the community for just two years.

Wood said of his December resignation that he left the department because the system lacked a "common vision" on accountability, training and an overall strategic plan for the safety and well-being of the residents of Manassas and fire and rescue personnel. 

Wood also said that while the decision was a difficult one to make and required a lot of thought and reflection, he believed he was hired to do an impossible job, one that is bogged down by inner politics that seem to plague combination systems across the country.