Change of Command Ceremony

On July 31st, 2025 Mark Daugherty was sworn in as the new fire chief of North Metro Fire Rescue District becoming the seventh professional fire chief to lead the district since its foundation in 1946. As part of the ceremony, Retired North Metro Fire Chief David Ramos presented Fire Chief Daugherty with a special firefighter’s axe symbolizing the transfer of command. The City of Broomfield Mayor, Council members and many friends and family were present at the ceremony. Chief Daugherty steps into his new role with two decades of experience in the fire service and emergency medical services (EMS). A Colorado native, he joined North Metro Fire in 2011 after serving as a firefighter/paramedic in San Diego County (California), and later as a paramedic and field training officer for Denver Health. Chief Daugherty worked his way up to a leadership role in EMS in 2018. As EMS Lieutenant and EMS Captain, Chief Daugherty strengthened and expanded the district’s EMS program and helped establish North Metro Fire as a top EMS provider in the region. In 2020, Chief Daugherty served as the medical point person during the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly developing safety protocols for patients and first responders and working with regional partners to maintain an essential supply of emergency equipment, despite supply chain challenges. In 2021, Chief Daugherty was promoted to serve as North Metro Fire’s first Division Chief of EMS. Later that year, he played a pivotal role leading the large-scale evacuation and transportation of critical patients at AdventHealth Avista Hospital and Intermountain Health Health Good Samaritan Hospital during the Marshall Fire. His leadership skills continued to grow, and in early 2024, Chief Daugherty was promoted to Deputy Chief of Operations, overseeing emergency response operations, special teams and firefighter training for the district. He also represented the district as a board member on Mile High Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council, the E911 Authority Board, and as a subcommittee chair of the Denver Metro Fire Chiefs Association. Additional information provided by Katie Converse, PIO North Metro Fire Rescue

Some of the departments that were on hand for the ceremony were: Adams County Fire Rescue, Arvada Fire Protection District, South Adams County Fire Department, Thornton Fire Department, Westminster Fire Department, Broomfield Police Department and Broomfield Public Safety Communications.