Portsmouth, Va. – A ceremony to swear in the new Portsmouth Fire Chief Dwayne V. Bonnette was held Monday at 10 a.m.
This comes one week after a spokesperson for the local firefighters union told NewsChannel 3 there were 40 vacancies for firefighters in Portsmouth.
According to the City of Portsmouth, there are only four vacancies.
Read more: Firefighters speak out at Portsmouth city council meeting
Bonnette’s professional career in the fire and emergency medical service spans over 26 years. With the Alexandria Fire Department, he began his career as a Firefighter EMT in 1989 and progressed through the ranks to Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief. His leadership experience includes the areas of incident command operations, suppression operations, training/professional development, fiscal/budget management, emergency management, fire protection and life safety, human resources, community services, logistics, information technology, and strategic planning. In addition, Mr. Bonnette’s professional background includes serving on a State committee partnering with the Virginia Fire Chief’s Association and the Virginia Department of Fire Programs to deliver a Chief Officer Leadership course.
Prior to entering the fire service, Mr. Bonnette was a member of the United States Coast Guard Reserves for 10 years and he is excited to bring his talents and vision to Portsmouth, a Coast Guard City.
Prior to entering the fire service, Mr. Bonnette was a member of the United States Coast Guard Reserves for 10 years and he is excited to bring his talents and vision to Portsmouth, a Coast Guard City.
His educational background includes an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science and a Bachelor’s Degree in Emergency Management. He is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Maryland University College, which is also where he earned his undergraduate degree. In addition, his training/certification portfolio includes progressive levels for Fire Officer, Fire Instructor, Fire Inspector, Heavy Tactical Rescue, Hazardous Materials Operations, Emergency Management, and Public Information Officer
