Message from the Fire Chief
Change of Command at Puget Sound Fire
On February 16, 2023, we honored retiring Fire Chief, Matthew Morris and welcomed Chief Brian Carson as the new Fire Chief. Governance Board Chairperson, Les Thomas officially swore in Chief Carson during the time-honored Change of Command ceremony. The ceremony — attended by members of Puget Sound Fire along with representatives from fire departments throughout King County, elected officials, friends, and family members — signified a change in leadership while celebrating the legacy of retiring Fire Chief Matthew Morris and opportunities awaiting Chief Carson.
Chief Matthew Morris retired with 33 years in the fire services, five of those as Fire Chief for Puget Sound Fire. Under Chief Morris’ leadership, Puget Sound Fire increased service delivery capabilities to the community and Chief Morris was integral in strengthening the business practices of the organization. In a heartfelt address, Chief Morris encouraged members of the organization to “Stay focused on the ‘Why’ at all times, and to take care of people with compassion and professionalism.”
Incoming Fire Chief Carson was joined by his wife, Megan, who pinned his badge to his uniform after he was sworn in. Chief Carson brings 31 years of fire service experience and will oversee a staff of more than 450 firefighters and non-uniformed support personnel, who provides fire suppression, technical and water rescue, FD Cares, fire prevention, public education, hazardous materials response, and emergency medical services to the communities of Covington, Kent, Maple Valley, SeaTac, Tukwila, and King County Fire Districts 37 & 43.
In 2014, Chief Carson joined Puget Sound Fire (formerly the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority) as a Captain upon the City of SeaTac’s contract for fire and EMS services. Since then, he has served as a Captain and Battalion Chief for the Operations Division, a Deputy Chief in the South King County Fire Training Consortium, and the Assistant Chief of Operations. On his future vision for Puget Sound Fire, Chief Carson commented: “I believe we exist to serve. We have an incredible team at Puget Sound Fire that believes the same and provides exceptional service to our communities. I am always guided by our four strategic goals – taking care of our communities, taking care of our staff, building connections in the community, and ensuring we are a resilient, sustainable organization.”