ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT
The Myrtle Beach Fire Department was created as a volunteer effort in the year 1936.
Today our Department has emerged into one of the most outstanding
Fire Protection Branches in the United States
Our Principal Goals are
-Life Safety
-Incident Stabilization
-Property Conservation
Our diverse City consists of approximately 17 square miles of land that includes a combination of High Rise Hotels, Residential Neighborhoods,
Commercial and Industrial Buildings, Highways,
the Intercoastal Waterway, and Beach Access to the Atlantic Ocean.
Our population exceeds 30,000 year round residents with more than
15 million tourists visiting annually.
Myrtle Beach Fire responds to more than 15,000 service calls per year!
Our more than 180 Personnel are made up of the most qualified
and highly trained First Responders in the Nation.
These dedicated Men and Women help staff
6 strategically placed Fire Stations and One Administrative Office.
We provide a variety of valuable services including
Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Treatment and Transport, Vehicle Extrication, Elevator Rescue, Rope Rescue, Confined Space, USAR Operations, Water Rescue,
Hazardous Materials Response, and Fire Prevention/Public Safety.
Fire Chief
Tom Gwyer was hired in 1993 as a member of Recruit School #1.
He was promoted to Fire Chief in April of 2018 Prior to his current assignment, he served as Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief & Shift Battalion Chief for over 14 years.
He also served as a Captain, Lieutenant, Engineer, & Firefighter. In 2002 he was named the Fire Department Employee of the Year and has received several Lifesaving Awards.
Fire Chief Gwyer has a Master’s Degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University
& a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Coastal Carolina University. In 2015 he was awarded Motorola's Future Leaders Scholarship through the IAFC. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s prestigious Executive Fire Officer Program and is only the 11th person to complete the program with four perfect 4.0 research projects, in which he was inducted into the NFA’s Research Roll of Honor in September, 2015. In 2022 he received the prestigious Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center of Public Safety Excellence
Fire Chief Gwyer also serves on the Regional Type-III Incident Management Team & is a Nationally Registered Paramedic. He is a member of the Horry-Georgetown Fire Chiefs Association, the South Carolina State Fire Chiefs Association, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
EXECUTIVE STAFF
THOM VANDERMARK
DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF
SHAWN PRATT
DIVISION CHIEF
BRAD KEMPF
DIVISON CHIEF