Open to opportunities

Chris Gibbons

@chrisgibbons

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Veteran fire service executive with 39 years' experience and proven grant-winning, emergency management leadership.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I seek a leadership role in fire, emergency management, or public safety where I can apply strategic planning, interagency coordination, grant acquisition, and mentor future leaders.

I am a seasoned fire and emergency services executive with 39 years in the field and 20 years serving in Chief-level roles, leading operations, training, administration, and staff development. I have secured over $30 million in federal, state, and local grant funding, developed multi-agency response plans, and authored policy later adopted at state and federal levels.

My career spans department leadership, hazardous materials and corporate emergency response management, and homeland security initiatives. I prioritize interagency coordination, regulatory compliance, and community engagement, and I mentor future leaders while delivering measurable operational and financial results.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Fire Chief

Bismarck Fire Protection District

Jan 1985 - Jan 2014 (29 years)

Directed all department operations, training, and administration for a 150 sq mi district, managing 60 firefighters and securing $20M in national grant funding to replace apparatus and improve readiness.

Emergency management Strategic Planning Budget Management Training Development

Director, Emergency Response

Rocky Mountain Environmental

Jan 1998 - Jan 2001 (3 years)

Managed company-wide hazardous materials emergency response operations and project teams across multiple offices, ensuring regulatory compliance (OSHA, EPA, DOT, FRA) and leading incident stabilization and remediation.

Project Management Regulatory Compliance Budgeting