Names in the News: September 4, 2022

RAIED “RAY” JADALLAH was appointed as the new chief of Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue (MDFR) on September 1. Jadallah is a 26-year public service veteran who has previously served in the MDFR as a lieutenant, a captain, a chief officer, an assistant chief, and a deputy chief. Additionally, he oversaw the Office of Emergency Management and has been tasked as the MDFR’s incident commander for COVID-19 since March 2020. Jadallah has also worked in various capacities at events such as the FIU bridge collapse, the Doral parking garage collapse, and the Shuckers deck collapse, and he oversaw the response to the Champlain Towers South building collapse in Surfside, Florida.

DUSTIN “DUSTY” FIELDS was promoted to become the new chief of the Yuma (AZ) Fire Department (YFD). Fields is a 31-year fire service veteran, with 28 of those years spent working for the YFD. He had been serving as YFD’s assistant chief for the past seven-plus years. Fields is a Yuma native and graduate of Kofa High School. He has a bachelor’s of science in fire administration from Waldorf College and is a 2019 graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program.

JASON COLLIER was promoted as the new chief of the Highland Village (TX) Fire Department (HVFD) on September 1. He had been serving as the department’s interim chief since May, when Michael Thomson left the job to become the new chief of the Carrollton (TX) Fire Department. He began his fire career in 1985, then joined the HVFD in 2008 as the city’s first assistant chief. Since joining Highland Village, Collier has been appointed to the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Firefighter Advisory Board and now serves as the city’s fire marshal. He is also a graduate of the Texas A&M Fire Service Chief Executive Office.

TOM FAGAN was named the new chief of the Marion (KS) Fire Department. Fagan is a 22-year firefighting veteran and the division chief of administration for the Lawrence-Douglas (KS) County Fire Medical Department. He has a master’s degree in management, strategy, and leadership from Michigan State University; a bachelor’s degree in human resources from Ottawa (KS) University; and an associate degree in fire science technology from Blue River Community College in Independence, Missouri.

RICHARD BLAINE II took over as the new chief of the Newport (NC) Fire Department (NFD) on August 8. Blaine has nearly 30 years of firefighting experience and previously served as the NFD’s assistant chief and fire marshal. He is also a North Carolina-certified fire instructor in various disciplines and has numerous certifications and credentials. Blaine is a U.S. Navy veteran and retired as a captain of operations for the Cherry Point Fire Department in 2021. He has served as a fire inspector for the town of Morehead City, North Carolina, and was selected as Newport’s Officer of the Year for 2021.