Fire Chief, Chief Jenkins worked his way up through the ranks as a Firefighter from 1979 to 1984, a Relief Fire Equipment Operator from 1982 to 1984, Fire Equipment Operator from 1984 to 1988, Captain from 1988 to 1993, Battalion Chief from 1993 to 2005, and Deputy Chief from 2005 to 2011. He currently leads 570 employees, including 130 volunteer firefighters, located in 32 stations.

Chief Helms has been a member of the Columbia Fire Department for over 28 years and has served as an officer for 20 of those 28 years. His job experience with the Department ranges from the position of Firefighter to Assistant Chief. He encompasses the areas of staffing, volunteer services, recruitment, hiring, promotional processes, disciplinary actions, and all other human resource functions of the Department.

The Administration Division of the Columbia Fire Department encompasses many layers of responsibility. Two of the most impacting areas in which we work on a daily basis is product specification development, and purchasing and procurement. Currently, within the Columbia Fire Department’s Administration Division provides supplies and equipment for fire suppression, emergency medical response, haz-mat response, and technical rescue to all divisions.

The Office of Fire prevention provides oversight of Fire Inspections, fire investigations, internal affairs investigations, permit administration, plan review (new construction and existing construction) special event staffing, lock box key assignments, public fire education, strategic planning, false alarm abatement, monthly and annual statistical reports.

More……

Chief Kip is the Operations Chief with two years as a volunteer and twenty years as a career member of the Columbia Fire Department. He believes that the strength of our organization must be built on communication, trust, and an understanding of our shared mission to serve.