Linaburg to lead Frederick fire and rescue
* Breaking NewsIf local news is breaking and you know about it:
* Call Us: 800-296-5137 * E-mail Us * Upload Your Photos |
Recommend ThisVeteran local official named as chief, will direct county's 11 fire companies
By Alex Bridges -- abridges@nvdaily.com
WINCHESTER -- Dennis Linaburg started his firefighting career as a volunteer at 17.
Now, at 45 years old, Linaburg gets to lead the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Department as its chief.
The veteran fire official brings 20 years of experience when he takes the post May 1, according to a news release issued Thursday by County Administrator John R. Riley Jr.'s office Thursday afternoon.
The chief heads a department with 73 uniformed career staff and four office employees, and works with about 320 volunteers at the county's 11 fire stations, according to Deputy County Administrator Jay Tibbs.
Linaburg called the appointment "humbling."
"You know it's a very important position and I've got a lot of good people in the system that [are] looking for leadership," Linaburg said by phone Thursday afternoon. "I can't emphasize enough, with having the opportunity to be a leader and the combination system that I grew up in, it's about as good as it gets as far as my expectations."
Linaburg started working for the county fire department in 1990 as one of its first six paid firefighters, he recalled. He joined the fire marshal's office five years later.
But Linaburg said he understands the value of the volunteers and their role in the system combined with paid firefighters.
The lifelong county resident remains on the roster at the Greenwood Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company, where he made his start.
"They certainly afforded me a lot of opportunities," Linaburg said.
Linaburg fills the vacancy left by the resignation of Tim Welsh in mid-November. Welsh served as chief for two years before his arrest in the county Oct. 25 for driving while intoxicated. Linaburg assumed the role of acting chief when Welsh was put on administrative leave and resigned less than a month later.
The county has not filled the vacant deputy chief position, according to Tibbs.
Linaburg will make a salary of $80,251, the release states.
0 
Leave a comment
Comments
Comments that are posted on nvdaily.com represent the opinion of the commenter and not the Northern Virginia Daily/nvdaily.com.
Comments that contain Web addresses, e-mail addresses, personal attacks, name-calling or personal information considered by the editor to be inappropriate for posting here will not be posted.
Commenters agree to abide by our COMMENTS POLICY when posting. Questions? E-mail us at info@nvdaily.com.