Jaime Fender became Fire Marshal for the Billings Fire Department in the Spring of 2024. Before that, he served as Assistant Fire Marshal for two years. Fender oversees four deputy fire marshals and an assistant fire marshal.
While he was in college, Fender had an encounter he can only describe as God sent. He was asked by Bill Rash, the now retired fire chief of the Lockwood and Billings Fire Departments, if he ever considered becoming a fireman. Fender began his career in the fire service with Lockwood and worked there for four and a half years before applying with the Billings Fire Department in 2012.
When he doesn’t have his fire marshal badge on, Fender is a family man and enjoys spending time with his wife and their three children.
Over the years he has attained a long list of certifications and degrees, including: Associate of Science in Fire Science, AS in Paramedics, BA in Business Administration, Masters degrees in Emergency Services Management and Executive Fire Leadership, certifications in Fire Inspector 1, Fire Inspector 2, Fire Plans Examiner, Fire Code Specialist, Certified Fire Marshal through the International Code Council, Fire Marshal Designation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), and Certified Fire Investigator through the International Association of Arson Investigators.