CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two veteran fire officials were promoted into Corpus Christi Fire Department leadership positions Friday.
Fire Chief Brandon Wade announced the promotions of asst. chief Doug Matthijetz to deputy fire chief, and battalion chief Billy Belyeu will now serve as an asst. fire chief.
Belyeu's appointment is historic, as he becomes the first African-American asst. chief in the department's history.
Wade said during their CCFD careers, Matthijetz and Belyeu have assisted the department in the critical areas.
Matthijetz is a 33-year veteran of the department who most recently led the Support Services Division. Throughout his tenure, he has overseen critical areas such as training, facilities, recruiting, hiring, and risk management.
Belyeu is a 17-year CCFD veteran who most recently served as a battalion chief and as the asst. director of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and has led many key initiatives, including the integration of a telehealth communications platform, updating EMS fees, and establishing a charitable care policy.
City leaders expressed their support for the appointments.
"These two strong, professional leaders will undoubtedly enhance our firefighting capabilities and contribute to the overall safety of our community,” said city manager Peter Zanoni. “It further fortifies our commitment to effective fire service leadership and operations."
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