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The Professional Services Division of the Columbia Fire Department encompasses many areas within the fire service of the City of Columbia and Richland County. Our responsibilities are to manage the Volunteer Services, Staffing Levels, Recruitment, Hiring, Promotions, Employee Human Resource functions, Policy Development and Quality Control for our organization.

Currently, the Professional Services Division is divided into three specialized bureaus: Volunteer Services, Staffing, and Recruitment-Hiring.

Christopher Kip

Assistant Chief of Professional Services

Assistant Fire Chief Christopher Kip has been a member of the Columbia-Richland Fire Department since 1996.

He began his career as a volunteer member and served two years out of Station 27 in northeast Richland County. Eventually Chief Kip became a career firefighter with the department and worked his way through our ranks to the role of assistant fire chief.

In each of his roles with CRFD Chief Kip has demonstrated his resolve to better our department and its many members.

As a senior firefighter he edited the department newsletter, served on our safety committee and was a peer supporter for firefighters who experienced critical stress from their service.

As a fire engineer he taught classes in emergency medical care and helped write and edit administrative quarterly reports for the department. He also created and then chaired the CRFD Awards Program.

During his time as a fire captain, Chief Kip provided innovative training opportunities for our crews. He also redesigned preplan systems, and researched and tested the performance of various types of equipment in an effort to improve our department’s safety and effectiveness.

As a battalion chief he helped research the best practices for firefighting operations in high rise buildings. Chief Kip also assisted with drafting various standard operating guidelines for CRFD and helped create our policy review process. He also wrote and taught curriculum in our promotional development academies, served on the validation committee and had the opportunity to participate in our department’s strategic planning process for the years ahead.

Chief Kip believes in the importance of our service to the community and loves catching our members succeeding.

Yuhanna Muhammad

Chief of Fire Training

Chief Muhammad joined the Columbia-Richland Fire Department in May of 2008. After 11 years working and rising through the ranks of fire suppression, he joined the department’s training division in 2019. From 2016 through 2019 Chief Muhammad developed curriculum for the South Carolina Fire Academy in addition to his duties of providing training for our firefighters. He was promoted to chief of training for the department in 2024.

Chief Muhammad graduated from Keiser University in 2010 with an associates degree in fire science. He is currently working on obtaining his bachelor’s degree from Columbia Southern University.

Yuhanna.Muhammad@columbiasc.gov

Captain James Bostic

Recruiting Officer

Captain Bostic has served the department for more than 20 years. His duties include the management, coordination, and oversight of career firefighter recruitment and our hiring processes. All high school, college, and career recruitment is managed within the bureau. Captain Bostic is also responsible for the scheduling of testing, interviews, and recommendations for hiring to the chief of professional services.

James.Bostic@columbiasc.gov