Wells named new Birmingham fire chief

Birmingham City Commissioners made it official on Monday, August 5, naming interim Birmingham Fire Chief Paul Wells the city's new fire chief.

“We have a happy event tonight,” announced the city's mayor Patty Bordman at the start of the commission meeting.

City manager Joe Valentine then introduced Wells, noting he has been with the Birmingham Fire Department for 21 years, having been first hired by the city in August 1998 as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and firefighter.

In 2001, Wells received his paramedic license and became a paramedic/firefighter. He has served the department as an EMS coordinator, lieutenant/paramedic, for three years as captain, then assistant fire chief, interim fire chief since last spring, “and now we are fortunate to have him as our chief,” Valentine said. “He really excelled in his position as interim fire chief.

Wells graduated from the Eastern Michigan University Fire Staff and Command Leadership Program in 2017, and received his Bachelors of Science degree in fire administration in 2018.

Wells was instrumental in starting the department's advance life support transporting, which provides top notch advance life support services to the citizens of Birmingham.

“Twenty-one years ago this month I won the lottery with this job,” Wells said. “I found myself with two families – mine and the department. I appreciate this opportunity.”

“It's one of our wonderful days in Birmingham to have such a fine person named chief,” Bordman said.