The State Fire Marshal announced the selection of a new chief deputy.
The selection of new leadership for the agency comes after the former chief, Gregory Der, was appointed as the Howard County Police Chief in December.
44-year-old, Jason Mowbray, was selected and officially became the youngest Chief Deputy and the fourth from Allegany County.
Mowbray will assume the duties of Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal beginning on May 18, 2022.
The role of Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal is a Field Operations Division management function involving the supervision and coordination of the agencies' law enforcement activities in the field of fire prevention, fire safety inspections, fire investigations, and explosives control.
Chief Deputy Mowbray will oversee five regions, including the Special Operations Group consisting of the bomb squad, underwater hazardous device team, and the accelerants/explosives detection canine units. He will also serve as second in command to the State Fire Marshal and oversee various agency administrative programs.
"I'm fortunate to be surrounded by the caliber of leaders we have at the Office of the State Fire Marshal," State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci said in a news release. "We were blessed to have exemplary internal and external candidates apply, and I'm excited to call on Chief Mowbray to bring his own outstanding, visionary leadership to the next level as my second-in-command."
Mowbray, an Allegany County native who graduated from Westmar High School and earned degrees in fire science from Montgomery College and criminal justice from Allegany College of Maryland, was also named the Criminal Justice Student of the Year upon graduation in 2000.
In October of 2001, he was sworn in as a Deputy State Fire Marshal and was awarded Deputy State Fire Marshal of the Year in 2006.
In 2008, Mowbray was promoted to Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal, where he has served as commander of the Western Region consisting of Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. During his time leading the Western Region, he has been awarded a Unit Citation and graduated from the International Association of Chiefs of Police - Leadership in Police Organizations training program.
With a staff of approximately sixty personnel, the office is tasked with investigating more than 1,000 fires and explosions, conducting over 10,000 fire safety inspections, and reviewing over 5,000 plan reviews per year.
"I am honored and humbled to be selected as the next Chief Deputy," said Mowbray in a news release. "The Office of the State Fire Marshal has professionals who are second to none, and their passion and drive are evident in the work they do every day."