Yesterday, Mark Daugherty was sworn in as the new fire chief of North Metro Fire Rescue District, becoming the seventh professional fire chief to lead the district since its foundation in 1946. As part of the ceremony, Retired North Metro Fire Chief David Ramos presented Fire Chief Daugherty with a special firefighter’s axe symbolizing the transfer of command.
“Taking the helm from Chief Ramos brings with it tremendous responsibility and great expectations,” said Peter Billera, vice president of North Metro Fire’s board of directors. “With that, we are extremely confident in our selection of Chief Daugherty for this role. His knowledge, leadership experience and impeccable moral character will play an integral role as he leads North Metro Fire into the future.”
Chief Daugherty steps into his new role with two decades of experience in the fire service and emergency medical services (EMS). A Colorado native, he joined North Metro Fire in 2011 after serving as a firefighter/paramedic in San Diego County, CA, and later as a paramedic and field training officer for Denver Health.
Driven by his passion for the fire service and prehospital patient care, Chief Daugherty worked his way up to a leadership role in EMS in 2018. As EMS Lieutenant and EMS Captain, Chief Daugherty strengthened and expanded the district’s EMS program and helped establish North Metro Fire as a top EMS provider in the region. In 2020, Chief Daugherty served as the medical point person during the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly developing safety protocols for patients and first responders and working with regional partners to maintain an essential supply of emergency equipment, despite supply chain challenges.
In 2021, Chief Daugherty was promoted to serve as North Metro Fire’s first Division Chief of EMS. Later that year, he played a pivotal role leading the large-scale evacuation and transportation of critical patients at AdventHealth Avista Hospital and Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital during the Marshall Fire.
His leadership skills continued to grow, and in early 2024, Chief Daugherty was promoted to Deputy Chief of Operations, overseeing emergency response operations, special teams and firefighter training for the district. He also represented the district as a board member on Mile High Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council, the E911 Authority Board, and as a subcommittee chair of the Denver Metro Fire Chiefs Association.
“It’s been an honor to serve our district for 40 years, and I was proud to transfer command to Fire Chief Daugherty, who I’ve worked alongside for many years. Chief Daugherty not only upholds the important responsibility we have to protect our community and continually improve our service to the district, but he also advocates for the health and well-being of our North Metro Fire members,” said Retired Fire Chief Ramos.
“His accomplishments and experience illustrate his ability to lead, but it’s his incredible work ethic, passion and desire to grow and work collaboratively that will make him a great fire chief for our district. I’m very excited for our future and know the district is in good hands with Chief Daugherty.”
