Dennis Doan

Fire Chief

Chief Doan has served as Fire Chief of Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One since March 2021. He leads the District in serving approximately 53,000 residents across 54 square miles of the Gig Harbor Peninsula.

As Fire Chief, Doan is responsible for the overall leadership and strategic direction of the District, which provides fire suppression, emergency medical services and advanced life support transport, technical and marine rescue, fire prevention and code enforcement, emergency management, and community risk reduction and public education programs. His responsibilities also include ensuring response resources are matched to the needs of the community, overseeing the District’s capital improvement program, and guiding the projects supported by the capital bond approved by voters in August 2022.

Chief Doan prioritizes data-driven decision making, fiscal responsibility, and identifying efficiencies that improve service without adding unnecessary costs to residents. He is also committed to maintaining strong labor relations and supporting the health, wellness, professional development, and continued growth of the District’s workforce while mentoring the next generation of fire service leaders.

Chief Doan’s fire service career began with the City of Boise in April 1991. He rose through the ranks over 17 years before being appointed Boise Fire Chief in February 2008, a position he held until March 2020. During his career in Idaho, he served as president of both the Southwest Idaho Fire & EMS Chiefs and the Professional Firefighters of Idaho and served an elected term as a Trustee on the Boise School District Board.

Chief Doan founded the Idaho Fallen Firefighters Foundation and led the effort to build the Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial, a permanent tribute honoring Idaho firefighters who died in the line of duty.

He is a member of the Gig Harbor Mid-Day Rotary, the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 149. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwest Nazarene University and an associate degree in fire science from Boise State University. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and has held the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence since 2019, most recently recertifying in 2025.

Chief Doan and his wife, Shawn, live in the Gig Harbor area and have three children. Outside of work, they enjoy spending time with family and friends, golfing, and traveling.

Contact the Fire Chief

Have a question, concern, or message for Chief Doan? Contact Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One at 253-851-3111 or use the online contact form available on our Command Staff page to send him a message.