South King Fire & Rescue Chief Al Church has been elected as the president of Washington Fire Chiefs during the annual association conference in Spokane last week.

The Washington Fire Chiefs is an incorporated non-profit association who has been providing fire service professionals education, information and resources for the past 78 years. The association also takes a lead role in influencing issues affecting the fire service, such as fire safe cigarettes and the ban on novelty lighters, among many other legislative topics that benefit the public and emergency personnel.

Church has been a member of South King Fire & Rescue (formally Federal Way Fire) since September, 1978 and has worked his way through the ranks. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1981, Captain in 1985, Battalion Chief in 1986, Assistant Chief in 1992, and Chief of Operations in 1994. In May, 2001, he was appointed Fire Chief/Administrator by the Board of Fire Commissioners.

Church has served on the Washington Fire Chiefs Board of Directors, and was elected in 2008 as Vice-President. He also held the position of Chair of the association’s Legislative Committee since 2004. He has held the position as Chair of the South King County “Zone 3” Fire Chiefs Committee since 2002. He is a member of the King County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Advisory Committee, the Valley Communications Center Operations Board, and also represents King County on the Washington State Urban Search and Rescue Policy Board.

On a professional level, Al has earned four (4) educational degrees including his Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership through Chapman University. He has completed the Executive Fire Officer program (EFO) through the National Fire Academy, and is a Designated Chief Fire Officer (CFOD) through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. He is currently taking classes at Grand Canyon University to earn his Doctorate.

He is a member of the Sunrise Rotary, past member of the Federal Way Noon Kiwanis, and a member of the first Advancing Leadership class in 1999. Church lives with his family in Federal Way.