The South County Fire Board of Commissioners has selected Thad Hovis to serve as Fire Chief of the regional fire authority. Hovis was sworn-in during the board’s Aug. 5 virtual meeting via teleconference.
A 25-year fire service veteran, Hovis has been serving as interim fire chief since the retirement of Fire Chief Doug Dahl at the end of March. Prior to that, Hovis served as assistant chief of operations.
Hovis will also serve as chief executive for the regional fire authority, the county’s largest provider of fire and emergency medical services. South County Fire has more than 325 employees and provides 24-hour staffing at 14 neighborhood fire stations serving more than 250,000 residents in Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and unincorporated south Snohomish County.