Attorney General Tim Fox appointed a new State Fire Marshal Tuesday. An interview panel forwarded its recommendation of Stephen "Dick" Swingley to the Attorney General last week.
“There was a day and age in Montana where fires were the real scourge of a community. They could level a community in a heartbeat, they could start in many many different ways, and so you cannot overestimate the importance of this position and this office. I want to thank State Fire Marshal Swingley for the work he is going to do,” Fox said.
Swingley has been with the state's fire service for 45 years. He says he wants to improve the training standards for Montana’s Deputy Fire Marshals, who provide statewide fire prevention and investigation services.
“That will be a goal of mine. We want to make sure our deputies are as skilled as possible. So training will be one of the utmost issues that I want to address," Swingley said.
Swingley accepted the position Tuesday, but has been working as the Acting State Fire Marshal since the former Marshal, Allen Lorenz, retired last May.
