Prince William fire chief Kevin McGee retires

WOODBRIDGE — Kevin McGee will leave his post as chief of the Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department.

McGee announced his retirement today, effective March 22, 2019. His last day as the system chief that oversees both career and volunteer firefighters is January 11, 2019.

McGee wrote he’s taking the extra time so that he may “attend to several personal matters that involving his parents.

McGee will use accumulated paid time off in the form of sick leave between January 11 and March 22, Prince William County Executive Christopher Martino wrote in an email to county staff.

McGee has been with the department since 1980. Last year, the Board of County Supervisors approved the sweeping changes to the structure of the fire and rescue department, voting to make McGee the system chief with authority over both career and volunteer members.

McGee last month once again became the topic of conversation among county leaders when he attended a public forum in Austin, Texas, appearing before residents as one of three finalists for the job of fire chief for that city. He didn’t get the job.

Martino announced plans for a temporary replacement for McGee. There’s no word yet on if or how a search for a permanent replacement will be conducted.

“I plan to make Deputy Chief Tim Keen Acting Chief of the PWCFRS effective January 11, 2019. Deputy Chief Keen has been an important part of our Fire & Rescue System for 30 years and is highly respected throughout the Fire & Rescue System and the County,” Martino wrote in an email.

The fire chief’s retirement comes a week after the retirement of Jeff Kaczmarek, who oversaw the county’s economic development department.