Wytheville Fire & Rescue chief stepping down after four years

WYTHEVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) - Wytheville Fire & Rescue Chief Marc Brade has announced he will leave his post at the end of February 2023.

He was the first career chief with the department, following a succession of volunteer chiefs, according to his statement (see below).

In his announcement February 6, he said while the town was redesigning a fire department and incorporating the growing need for stability with EMS, the department has accomplished much in four years, including bringing stability to the community regarding fire and emergency medical services, improving the community’s fire protection classification rating, saving countless lives and preserving property, using 45% of the department’s budget,

In announcing his decision, he praised his department, saying, “The team of this department has been involved in some of the most traumatic calls for service I have witnessed in my career. Yet, they continue to answer calls, when minutes earlier they were fighting their own internal demons. Yes, we chose this as a profession, and yes we are honored to serve you, but make no mistake, the team is some of the best firefighters, EMTs, and medics that I have worked with.”

He said. “This was an extremely difficult decision, but it is time for another set of eyes and another mouth to evaluate and fight for the future of this department.”