2019 Virginia Fire + Rescue Conference

Loy Senter
Fire Chief
Chesterfield County Fire & EMS Department


Chief Edward “Loy” Senter Jr., entered fire and emergency medical services (EMS) in 1978 at age 15 as a junior member of the Chesapeake Beach Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. His first job was with the Norfolk International Airport (VA) Fire Department. In 1982, he joined the City of Norfolk (VA) Fire-Rescue Department. In 1986, he was promoted to fire lieutenant and over the next 17 years served in various command assignments. In 2003, he was appointed Norfolk’s fire chief and provided leadership and managerial direction to 533 personnel distributed among 14 fire-rescue stations and six offices, serving a 62 square mile urban area with a resident population of 250,000 and a weekday population of approximately 500,000. In 2008, Chief Senter was appointed fire and EMS chief of Chesterfield County (VA). He provides leadership and managerial direction to 500 career and 200 volunteer members distributed among three branches, nine divisions, 22 fire & EMS stations and four volunteer rescue squads serving a population of over 340,000 in a 446 square mile, diverse area. He is a member of the county’s leadership team, the emergency preparedness and capital improvement program (CIP) steering committees, and is co-dean of the Chesterfield University School of Public Safety. He also serves as a member and past president of the Central Virginia Fire Chiefs Association (CVFCA), a member of both the VFCA and Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and a member of the Fire Science Advisory Committee for J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College. Chief Senter holds an associate of applied since degree in fire science from Tidewater Community College, a bachelor of science degree in fire administration from Hampton University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Old Dominion University. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s EFO Program and is also a Virginia certified Fire Officer III and EMT.

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