Assistant Chief Wade Russell

Assistant Chief

Wade is serving as the Assistant Chief of Administration and Planning for Unified Fire Authority, in Salt Lake County, Utah. He started his career in 1999 with the Salt Lake County Fire Department/Unified Fire Authority.  During his career he has risen through the ranks of Firefighter, HazMat Specialist, Captain, Battalion Chief, Operations Chief and currently Assistant Chief. 

He is been a member of UT-TF1, which is one of 28 Federal Urban Search & Rescue teams and additionally, serves as a Safety Officer on the Blue Incident Support Team for FEMA US&R.  Wade has deployed numerous times to assist in search efforts during the WTC/911 Terrorist Attacks, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, Champlain Building Collapse, and the Maui wildfires in Lahaina to name a few.  His involvement in the national US&R System also includes leadership positions in the development of curriculum, System doctrine and guidance for all System resources.