Upon the conclusion of a special session held by the Garrett County Commissioners on July 11, 2022, the ordinance to appoint a Garrett County Fire Marshal has been approved.
This office seeks to provide a safe working and living environment for residents, workers, and travelers within Garrett County. Also, the office implements and enforces the statewide fire code.
The Garrett County Office of the Fire Marshal will:
- strive to reduce the risk of fires through public education and outreach
- mitigate hazards through the abatement of common fire prevention code violations
The newly created office is led by Chris Cieslarczyk.
“We are happy to be able to spread public education, outreach and emergency preparedness,” said John Frank, Director, Garrett County Emergency Operations Center.”
Cieslarczyk’s background encompasses Haz-Mat teams, Technical Rescue teams, and Engines, Trucks, and Heavy Squads teams. He has also most-recently served as a Fire Inspector with the Washington Airport Authority and an Assistant Fire Marshal in Charleston, SC.
Cieslarczyk has served as a volunteer firefighter/EMT beginning in 1982 in Sayreville, NJ. In 1992, he was hired as a Haz-Mat Technician/Firefighter with the Middlesex County Hazardous Materials Unit in Middlesex County, NJ. In 1999, Cieslarczyk was hired in Henrico, VA with the County Division of Fire. In 2004, he was promoted to Lieutenant and served in that capacity until his first retirement in 2017.
He has a bachelor’s degree in English from Rutgers University, an Associate’s degree in Fire Science from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, and a Master’s in Emergency Services Management from Columbia Southern University. Currently, he resides in Deer Park with his wife, Renate. They have 4 children.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is housed in the Garrett County Emergency Operations Center at 32 Outfitter Way, McHenry, MD 21541.
Feel free to contact Chris or John at the Emergency Operations office at 301-334-7619.
