City Manager Appoints
Sharon McDonough as New Fire Chief
Tucson City Manager Timothy Thomure has appointed Sharon McDonough to the position of fire chief for the Tucson Fire Department (TFD). Chief McDonough will assume the role of Interim Fire Chief immediately and will assume her permanent appointment as Chief of the Tucson Fire Department on June 2, 2025. Ratification by the Mayor and Council of Chief McDonough's appointment will be scheduled for a future Mayor and Council meeting.
McDonough is currently serving as the director of the Public Safety Communications Department (PSCD) but has served the majority of her 34 years with the City in the Fire Department. Upon becoming a battalion chief at TFD, she was the first woman to serve as a chief officer in the department.
“Sharon has deep roots in Tucson, bringing to this role more than three decades of service in the Fire Department, progressing through the ranks from firefighter, to paramedic, to captain, battalion chief, and deputy chief,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “Chief McDonough stabilized our 911 Communications Department, which is the frontline for our first responders, and successfully oversaw the implementation of our 311 system connecting Tucson residents to services. Her career is a reflection of what it means to be a public servant. Congratulations to Sharon McDonough on becoming the first woman fire chief in Tucson’s history, marking an important moment for our City,” added the Mayor.
"I am honored and excited to be returning to my fire family at TFD, where I started with the City of Tucson in 1990. I will deeply miss working directly with my team at the Public Safety Communications Department, where I have proudly served as director for the past four years, but will take with me the knowledge and perspective I have gained that will allow our collective public safety team to find efficiencies and make improvements in service." McDonough said. "I am ready to hit the ground running, and proud to be at the helm as we work toward a more healthy and sustainable future for TFD."
This appointment comes after Chief Chuck Ryan announced his retirement last week. Chief Ryan led the department through the COVID-19 pandemic, re-designation from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) with Class 1 Public Protection Classification, and positioned the department as a national model in the areas of firefighter cancer research and mitigation efforts. The City is appreciative of Chief Ryan’s service to the organization and people of Tucson.
“I am grateful for Chief Ryan’s dedication to the safety and health of our community,” said City Manager Timothy Thomure. “I wish him the very best in his retirement.” He continued, “Sharon McDonough has a long and proven track record across not one but two of our public safety departments. She will be instrumental in creating innovative programs that can put the right work in the right hands and help mitigate the burnout we are seeing in our fire staff as call volume increases.”
PSCD Deputy Director Mike Garcia has been appointed as the interim director of PSCD, filling McDonough’s position. Garcia will continue the successful initiatives implemented by the department, including the launch of the 311 program.
###
|
