<div style="margin-top: 20px;"><img src="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/citylogo-cm.png" alt="City of Columbia Missouri City Manager's Office" width="175" height="101" style="margin-right: 5px;">
<div style="float: right; margin-right: 0px; margin-left:20px; width:106px; height: 116px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top:40px;
text-align:center;">
<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;">P.O. BOX 6015 COLUMBIA, MO 65205</p></div>
</div>
<div style="clear:both; text-align:center; padding-top: 20px;">
<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">May 28, 2024</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Sydney Olsen
<br />Engagement and Public Communications Manager
<br />City Manager's Office
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7438
<br />Sydney.Olsen@CoMo.gov</p>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">Members of the public invited to meet finalists for next fire chief</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Members of the community are invited to a meet and greet with the four finalists for Columbia’s next fire chief. The meet and greet will be June 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. in Conference Rooms 1A/1B of City Hall, 701 E. Broadway. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the meet and greet, members of the public will have the opportunity to drop in anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. to speak with the candidates. Light appetizers will be provided.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Information about each of the candidates is listed below:<br /><br /></span></p>
<p><strong>John Ambra, deputy fire chief, Columbia, Missouri</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">John Ambra has worked at the Columbia Fire Department since 2004. During his time at the department, he has served as a firefighter, fire engineer, fire lieutenant, fire captain, fire battalion chief and deputy fire chief. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before working at the Columbia Fire Department, Ambra worked at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as a journeyman electrician from 2001 to 2004 and South Kansas City Electric as an apprentice electrician from 1998 to 2001. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ambra’s education includes a diploma from Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additional experience includes professional development from the following organizations:</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri Division of Fire Safety</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IBEW/NECA National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee</span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><br />Chuck Doss, MU Health Care clinical manager: prehospital services, Columbia, Missouri</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chuck Doss has worked at MU Health Care since 2021 as clinical manager of prehospital services. He has also served as a member of Missouri Task Force One since 2000.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before working at MU Health Care, Doss worked at the Boone County Fire Protection District as battalion chief and assistant to the fire chief, Boone Hospital Center as a paramedic, the City of Olathe Fire Department as a firefighter and paramedic, Boone Hospital Center as an EMT, paramedic and transport coordinator, the Boone County Fire Protection District as a firefighter and lieutenant, and the Battlefield Fire Protection District as a volunteer firefighter. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Doss’ education includes a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Waldorf University, a bachelor’s degree fire science - fire administration from Columbia Southern University, an associate degree in fire science from Kansas City Kansas Community College, and a diploma from Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Missouri. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additional experience includes professional development from the following organizations: </span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chief EMS officer designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri Bureau of EMS</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">American Red Cross</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Federal Aviation Administration</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri Division of Fire Safety</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">University of Missouri Fire Rescue Training Institute </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">FEMA</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">National Fire Academy</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri State Emergency Management Agency</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">International Association of Fire Chiefs</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri State Emergency Management Agency</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri Department of Public Safety</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services</span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><br />Jeffrey Heidenreich, assistant fire chief, Columbia, Missouri</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jeffrey Heidenreich has worked at the Columbia Fire Department since 2008. During his time at the department, he has served as a firefighter, engineer, lieutenant, captain, Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) accreditation manager and assistant fire chief. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Heidenreich’s education includes a master of business administration from Columbia College, a bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Missouri and a diploma from Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additional experience includes professional development from the following organizations:</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fire officer designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peer assessor for Commission on Fire Accreditation International</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commission on Professional Credentialing/Center for Public Safety Excellence</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boone County Fire Protection District</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">University of Missouri Fire Rescue Training Institute</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Missouri Task Force One</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SEMA </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">National Fire Academy</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<p><strong>Brian Schaeffer, Spokane, Washington</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brian Schaeffer served as the assistant fire chief and fire chief of the Spokane Fire Department from 2005 to 2024. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before working at the Spokane Fire Department, Schaeffer was deputy fire chief at the Yakima Fire Department in Yakima, Washington, and deputy fire chief at Yakima Fire District 12. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Schaeffer’s education includes a master of leadership education from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, a bachelor’s degree of science in fire science from Sterling College in Kansas City, Missouri, and a diploma from Freeburg High School in Freeburg, Illinois. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additional experience includes professional development from the following organizations:</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Washington State Paramedic License (EMT-P)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chief Fire Officer (CFO) </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chief Emergency Medical Service Officer (CEMSO)</span></li>
</ul></div>
<br />
<div class="content"></div>
<br />
<div class="attachments">
This release has the following attachments:<br /><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=3126">John Ambra</a><br /><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=3127">Chuck Doss</a><br /><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=3128">Jeffrey Heidenreich</a><br /><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=3129">Brian Schaeffer</a></div>
</div>
<div id="footerline">
<div style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align:center;"><p>City of Columbia Vision<br>
<em>Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.</em></p>
<p>City of Columbia Mission<br>
<em>To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.</em></p>
</div>
<p style="text-align:center;">-30-</p>
</div>
<style>
#pressrelease{ margin:20px; margin-top: 0px;}
.attachments{margin-top: -10px;}
@media print {
body {font-size: 90%; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;}
#pressrelease{ margin: 0px; }
}
</style><p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>You have received this message because you subscribe to the City of Columbia's Web Mail service. To view linked material click on provided links or copy and paste them into your browser's address menu.</p>
<p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>Archived press releases can be viewed online at:
http://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/directory.php</p>
<p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided at http://www.como.gov/Web_Mail/ </p><style>div{margin: 10px;}</style>