Julie Downey, Fire Chief, has been a certified firefighter/paramedic for 40 years and a chief officer for 20 years. Chief Downey was promoted to the rank of Fire Chief on June 8^th, 2016, and is the first female fire chief in Broward County (and quad-county) to lead Davie Fire Rescue. Chief Downey began her career as a firefighter with the City of Sunrise. During her tenure, she served in the capacity of driver/operator, lieutenant and Emergency Services (EMS) Supervisor. In 2004, she joined the Town of Davie Fire Rescue Department and served in the capacity of Battalion Chief, Assistant Fire Chief (overseeing EMS and public education), and in 2016, was promoted to Fire Rescue Chief. Chief Downey was born and raised in Broward County and is a proud Davie resident. Chief Downey has been involved with MCI training for 25 years and has conducted more than 300 exercises across the country. She has been recognized by the White House for her initiatives in the Stop the Bleed program. Chief Downey is the chair and technical committee member for NFPA 3000: Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response Program and serves as the chair of the State of Florida Disaster Response Committee. She is also the author of the State of Florida MCI Procedure and MCI Field Operations Guides and has authored or co-authored over $3 million in grant funding for MCI/ASHE-related equipment and training.

She has earned degrees in organizational leadership, nursing, fire sciences, and emergency medical services.

“Working in the fire rescue field for four decades has been such a rewarding experience, I would not nave wanted to do any other profession and believe this is the best job there is” Chief Downey said. “l am determined to ensure that we provide top-of-the-line emergency services, invest in state-of-the-art technology, promote and encourage development through education and training, and implement new and proven strategies to benefit our residents.”