Who is James Wallace, Baltimore’s fire chief and how many years he has been on the job?

The first priority for authorities in the aftermath of the Baltimore bridge disaster is safety. As seen with the videos circulating online, the tangled wreckage poses an extremely difficulty task for rescue crews to deal with.

Leading the coordination of the efforts is Baltimore’s fire chief, James Wallace. He was only nominated to the position by Mayor Brandon Scott on 23 August, 2023. The Francis Scott Key bridge is certainly a baptism by fire to begin the job.

Fire Chief Wallace’s history tackling emergencies

Wallace boasts an impressive 33-year career with the Baltimore City Fire Department, making this experience crucial in rescue efforts like today.

“The Baltimore City Fire Department does the hard work of saving lives across our city every single day, responding promptly to emergencies of all kinds and offering critical support to other agencies during challenging situations,” Mayor Scott said last year. “I know that under Chief Wallace’s unmatched leadership and experience, our Fire Department will continue to excel in its mission and further enhance its services to the community.”

What has Fire Chief Wallace said about the bridge collapse?

In a press conference, Wallace told the media that around 01:50 local time, the first emergency units arrived to the collapsed bridge. He also confirmed the rescue of two people, though rescue operations are continuing for at least six others.

“One individual refused service and refuse transport essentially that person was not injured,” Wallace said. “However, there was another individual that’s been transported to a local trauma centre that is in a very serious condition.”