BERRYVILLE, VA (July 15, 2022) After a months-long process in which a search committee reviewed 70 applications and extensively interviewed the top candidates, Clarke County has hired Wayne Whetsell to be its Director of Fire, EMS & Emergency Management. Whetsell begins his new career in Clarke on Aug. 29.

Whetsell has been a professional firefighter for 27 years with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, where he has served as Captain II and Station Commander since 2016. He has volunteered with the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company for more than 30 years and served as its chief for seven years in the early 2000s. He possesses comprehensive firefighting and emergency management training with certifications in multiple specialized areas.

“Working for Clarke County is the pinnacle of my career,” Whetsell said. “This position is a dream opportunity for me to use my experience and skills to work with three outstanding fire companies. My goal is to support, coordinate, and advance all our first-responder efforts to best serve residents, businesses, and visitors throughout the county.”

In his new role, Whetsell will manage the day-to-day operations of the Fire, EMS & Emergency Management department, including staff supervision and budget oversight. The department consists of 16 full-time operational staff, one billing coordinator, and a number of part-time employees. The county provides 24/7 staffing out of the John H. Enders Fire Company & Rescue Squad and provides additional coverage at Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company. The director ensures compliance with various state and federal regulations, works with the fire companies on standard operating procedures, and serves as the primary contact for emergency management duties with various state and federal agencies.

The Director of Fire, EMS & Emergency Management is an executive-level position that reports to County Administrator Chris Boies.

“We are excited to have Wayne join our leadership team,” Boies said. “The search committee was very impressed by his work and volunteer experiences as well as his passion for our volunteers in the fire and rescue system. He is the right person to ensure we continue to have a successful combination volunteer-paid staff system. I look forward to working with him and continuing to find ways to improve the services we provide our citizens.”

Earlier this year, a search committee composed of two county supervisors, a Fire & EMS Commission member, a volunteer firefighter, a staff firefighter, and the county administrator began a thoughtful process to find the ideal candidate for the director position. After reviewing all applications and narrowing the field, the committee interviewed top contenders, and finalists participated in simulations of emergency scenarios.

“On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, we welcome Wayne to Clarke County,” said Board chair David Weiss. “We had a very competitive pool of applicants, and Wayne clearly rose to the top. I want to thank the volunteers from the three fire companies, members of the Fire and EMS Commission, and the search committee for their participation in the search process.”

Weiss continued, “We had many different stakeholders involved in the process, and the finalists had to go through multiple interviews with various groups. The process was a success, and as a result we have an extremely qualified director.”

Since October 2021, lifelong firefighter and medic Don Jackson has led the Fire, EMS & Emergency Management department as its interim director.

“I want to thank Don Jackson for serving as our interim director,” said Boies. “He has done a great job filling in, and we all owe him our appreciation for coming out of retirement to serve Clarke County.”

Whetsell, who lives in Round Hill, will fully retire from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department when he begins working for Clarke County. He will run fire and rescue calls in Clarke as needed.

Find more information about Clarke County’s Fire, EMS & Emergency Management department at clarkecounty.gov/government/fire-ems-emergency-management. Direct questions to County Administrator Chris Boies at (540) 955-5100 or cboies@clarkecounty.gov.