South King Fire and Rescue Chief Al Church has been elected as the president of Washington Fire Chiefs during the annual association conference in Spokane last week.

Church has been a member of South King Fire and Rescue (formally Federal Way Fire) since 1978 and has worked his way through the ranks. In May 2001, he was appointed Fire Chief/Administrator by the Board of Fire Commissioners.

Church has served on the Washington Fire Chiefs Board of Directors, and was elected in 2008 as Vice-President. He also held the position of Chair of the association’s Legislative Committee since 2004. He has held the position as Chair of the South King County “Zone 3” Fire Chiefs Committee since 2002. He is a member of the King County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Advisory Committee, the Valley Communications Center Operations Board, and also represents King County on the Washington State Urban Search and Rescue Policy Board.