Aug. 4, 2023
Fire and EMS
Chesterfield County’s Fire and EMS Chief Edward “Loy” Senter, Jr. was recently elected president of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (the Metro), a prestigious international fire service organization.
Senter was sworn-in as president during the Metro’s annual conference held June 4-8 in Columbus, Ohio. Senter has served in various officer positions on the board since 2019, and he joined the Metro in 2006.
“I am truly honored to have been elected by my colleagues to lead a world-class organization that represents interests of importance to the chiefs from the largest fire departments across North America and around the world,” said Senter. “I look forward to working with the board in advancing important initiatives including strategies for emerging threats in the built and wildland/urban interface environments, firefighter safety, physical health and mental well-being, proven practices to recruit and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce and advocating on issues of importance to metro departments.”
Senter brings over 45 years of experience to the position of Metro president, having entered fire and emergency medical services at age 15 as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Virginia Beach. Upon graduating high school, he began his career with the Norfolk Fire-Rescue Department, serving in multiple leadership roles over 27 years, including six years as Norfolk’s Fire Chief. Senter was appointed Chesterfield’s Fire & EMS Chief in 2008.
At the annual meeting, Senter signed a Memorandum of Understanding alongside the president of the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF), Milan Dubravac. The memorandum allows for advancement in fire service leadership, training and education, exchange programs, risk inventories, disaster relief/rescue and more. Senter then traveled to Vienna, Austria to represent the Metro at the CTIF Delegates Assembly, where fire service leaders from 22 countries convened.
Other newly elected board members are:
- Chief Ernest Malone, vice president, Indianapolis, Indiana Fire Department
- Chief John Butler, secretary, Fairfax County, Virginia Fire & Rescue Department
- Chief Trisha Wolford, treasurer, Anne Arundel County, Maryland Fire Department
- Chief Steve Dongworth, board member, Calgary, Alberta Fire Department
- Chief Samuel Peña, alternate board member, Houston, Texas Fire Department
- Chief (ret.) William Bryson, senior board member, Miami & Miami Dade County, Florida fire departments
- Chief (ret.) Robert Rocha, immediate past president, Corpus Christi, Texas Fire Department
The Metro was founded in 1965 for the purpose of bringing fire service professionals together to address the complex challenges of large city fire departments. With its partners, FM Global, the Fire Protection Research Foundation, the International Public Safety Data Institute and Underwriters Laboratory Fire Safety Research Institute, the non-profit organization has an immense database of knowledge and is therefore highly respected in the firefighting community.
Membership in the Metro includes fire chiefs from the largest fire departments in the United States and Canada as well as representatives of various fire service organizations across Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.