The City of Tucson has appointed Sharon McDonough to serve as the next Tucson Fire Department fire chief.
The move follows on the heels of former chief Chuck Ryan announcing his retirement last week. Ryan had been on the job as chief since 2019.
McDonough will assume the role of Interim Fire Chief immediately and will assume her permanent role as Chief of the Tucson Fire Department on June 2.
McDonough currently serves as the director of the Public Safety Communications Department, but has served the majority of her career with TFD, a news release from the City said.
She was the first woman to serve as a chief officer in the department.
“Sharon has deep roots in Tucson, bringing to this role more than three decades of service in the Fire Department, progressing through the ranks from firefighter, to paramedic, to captain, battalion chief, and deputy chief,” Mayor Regina Romero said in the news release. “Chief McDonough stabilized our 911 Communications Department, which is the frontline for our first responders, and successfully oversaw the implementation of our 311 system connecting Tucson residents to services. Her career is a reflection of what it means to be a public servant.
PSCD Deputy Director Mike Garcia has been appointed as the interim director of PSCD, filling McDonough’s position, the news release said.
