Warren County Fire and Rescue Services Chief Richard Mabie announces retirement

Warren County Fire and Rescue Services Chief Richard E. Mabie announced today that he will retire effective December 31, 2020. Chief Mabie was appointed as the County’s very first Chief of Fire and Rescue Services on August 7, 1995, and has more than 50 years of public service in Virginia. Prior to joining Warren County, Chief Mabie served for 25 years in the Richmond City Fire Department with his last position held as Captain. Chief Mabie also served for 13 years as Chief of the Hanover Courthouse Volunteer Fire Company in Hanover County, Virginia.

Doug Stanley, County Administrator, stated, “Congratulations to Chief Mabie on his pending retirement. The progress that our community has made in the development of a county-wide Fire and Rescue Department is due to the hard work and dedication of Chief Mabie. During his 25+ year tenure, we have added the North Warren Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company, added staffing to provide five 24/7 stations, completed a fire and rescue study of the community, and will soon be completing the new Rivermont Fire Station. I have been most impressed over the years with his work ethic and willingness to be a hands-on chief, personally running most of the significant calls in the community during his tenure. We have been fortunate as a community to have had such a dedicated leader of our fire and rescue services.”

Chief Mabie said, “On August 1, 1995, I received the honor of becoming the first Fire Chief of the Warren County Department of Fire and Rescue Services. As I look back at the past 25 years of service to this Department and community, I take great pride in knowing what we as a Department have accomplished. I have strived to build a Department capable of serving our community with the highest level of professionalism, dedication, and service possible. This could only have been accomplished by a diverse group of career and volunteer men and women that serve this community every day, of whom I am extremely proud! I walked into my office on my first day without an organized Department. I leave 25 years later an organization that is truly dedicated to serving our community as ‘One Department’ with ‘One Mission’. We are now very respected by other public safety agencies throughout the Shenandoah Valley.”

Chief Mabie added, “No fire department leader can succeed by himself. I appreciate the support of Doug Stanley as our County Administrator, together with the support that the men and women in this department, the Fire Chiefs’ Advisory Staff, elected officials, and the community have provided me over the past 25 years.”

The Warren County Fire and Rescue Office is located at 200 Skyline Vista Drive, Suite 200, Front Royal, VA, telephone (540) 636-3830. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.