Prince George’s County, Maryland, has a new fire chief.
Chief Deputy Tiffany Green was announced as the interim leader of the Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Service on Monday morning by County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. She’ll be the first woman to lead the department.
Green said she was “extremely honored” to be named. “Someone always challenges whether I should be here,” Green, 44, said at the announcement. “I should definitely be here.”
Green, a native of Prince George’s County, has been chief deputy since November of last year. She’s been with the department since 1999 and started as a volunteer.
She will succeed Chief Benjamin Barksdale, who is retiring, Nov. 1. To become permanent, her hiring needs to be approved by the County Council.
Barksdale was in the department for nine years, the last three as chief. “He has served us with distinction; he led in a very strong and effective way,” Alsobrooks said, particularly in the role of comforter after the loss of John Ulmschneider in a shooting in 2016. But she also praised his tireless appearances at community meetings simply to promote the importance of installing working smoke detectors.
“It’s time for me to move on,” Barksdale said. “I wish Chief Deputy Green all the best, and I wish the administration all the best.”
Alsobrooks said Green was the most qualified person for the job, and added that her promotion was part of a county-wide philosophy by which county natives get the chance to move up in government departments. “If you have committed yourself here; if you have done the things necessary to develop yourself as a leader, we want to make sure that you have the opportunity.”
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
