Spokane Fire Chief Julie O’Berg to retire, mayor appoints assistant chief as replacement

Julie O’Berg, a veteran firefighter who came out of retirement to assume a leadership role in the Spokane Fire Department, announced Monday that she will retire as fire chief effective Oct. 7.

“The fire service has given me purpose, lifelong friendships, and the honor of serving something greater than myself,” O’Berg said in a prepared statement. “I am excited to see the department’s continued success, and no matter where I am, I will be cheering you on from the sidelines with pride.”

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown has named Assistant Chief Tom Williams as O’Berg’s successor.

O’Berg was the city’s first female fire chief, taking the reins initially as interim fire chief in January 2024, nearly two weeks after a newly elected Brown announced she would be accelerating the retirement plans of former Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer.

O’Berg had planned to retire last year but was persuaded by Brown to stay on a few more months and lead the department while a permanent successor was found. At the time, she said she had no intention to apply for the permanent position, she told The Spokesman-Review.

She was convinced to stay on as permanent fire chief last April, saying she was inspired by the new mayor’s policy goals for the department, such as implementing better programs to address behavioral health and addiction issues.

“While I am sad to see Chief O’Berg go, she has absolutely earned her retirement,” Brown said in a prepared statement. “She has been a dedicated public servant and a tremendous leader, guiding the Spokane Fire Department through a significant time of transition.”

Before coming to Spokane, O’Berg worked in Kansas for 28 years for the Overland Park Fire Department in suburban Kansas City, becoming a lieutenant, a captain and finally a battalion chief. She also worked as a training officer for the investigations unit and served with the Kansas State Incident Management Team.

She retired from Overland Park but before long decided to return to work.

O’Berg worked with Schaeffer through a nonprofit arm of the Overland Park Fire Department that did nonemergency medical transports. Schaeffer mentioned that the Spokane Fire Department had an opening for a deputy chief of operations, which handles most of the duties that generally come to mind when thinking of a fire department – the kind resulting from a 911 call.

O’Berg took the job, uprooted her life and traveled across the country, arriving in April 2020 just as the COVID-19 pandemic had taken hold.

Williams will serve as acting chief starting Oct. 7, pending approval of his nomination by the Spokane City Council.

Williams has worked as assistant fire chief since June 2020, coming to the city after 30 years in various roles in Oregon, including as a battalion chief, division chief and deputy chief for Portland Fire and Rescue. He worked for 20 years as a tactical medic with the Portland Police Bureau and as a part-time flight paramedic with air medical transport company Air Life.

“I am honored to lead the Spokane Fire Department following the retirement of Chief O’Berg,” Williams said in a prepared statement. “While I am saddened to see her step down, I am deeply grateful for the time we worked together.”