Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department in Maryland leads one of the largest combination fire departments in the country, serving more than 600,000 residents—but her path to Fire Chief is anything but traditional. She began as a firefighter/paramedic and built a diverse career through the Fire Marshal’s Office, sworn law enforcement, fire and explosives investigations, and service as a Tactical Medic on a SWAT team. She is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy and the IAFC’s Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI), and currently serves as President and Board Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Vice President of the IAFC’s Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association Executive Board, and an Executive Board member for the FirstNet Authority. Grounded in perspective and gratitude, her story is a reminder that leadership has no rank—and that an untraditional path, driven by grit and purpose, can take you wherever you’re willing to go.
