Gary Krichbaum has been appointed Managing Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, effective October 1.

Gary is an accomplished fire service leader with over 34 years of experience in fire, rescue, EMS, and emergency services. He entered the fire service in 1989 as a volunteer in Maryland with the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad, Inc., and retired as an Assistant Fire Chief for the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department in 2020. Most recently, he served as the Program Manager for the First Responder Center for Excellence, where he was responsible for the coordination and resources for a variety of firefighter support programs related to cancer prevention, behavioral health, cardiac health, and overall health and wellness.

Gary holds a BS in Fire Science and a master’s degree in Emergency & Disaster Management from American Public University. He is a member of the Middletown Volunteer Fire Department, a Board member for the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad, Inc., serves as the current Maryland Director for the Eastern Division International Association of Fire Chiefs, and has been a contributing member of multiple NFPA Committees. Gary currently serves as the Deputy Incident Commander for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, which is held in Emmitsburg, MD each May.