Why the Fire Chief Matters
- Brittny Chabalowski
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Livingston is having a public conversation about the future of its fire department. Here's what the public record shows.
A department that was asking for help
On May 19, 2026, Livingston Fire Chief Josh Chabalowski and Battalion Chief Jonathan Gilbert presented what they described as the "State of Livingston Fire & Rescue" during a City Commission meeting.
The presentation covered topics including:
Staffing shortages
Aging fire apparatus
Station limitations
Training needs
EMS demand
Capital equipment
Future funding needs
An upcoming EMS levy
According to the presentation, Livingston Fire & Rescue:
Responded to approximately 2,500 emergency calls in 2025.
Serves as the only Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance provider for all of Park County.
Provides fire suppression, EMS, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, search and rescue support, community paramedicine, and fire inspections.
Is one of the busiest single-station fire departments in Montana.
The presentation raised difficult questions
Among the concerns discussed publicly were:
Aging apparatus, including a 26-year-old ladder truck.
Staffing challenges during simultaneous emergencies.
Growing call volume.
Limited space in the existing fire station.
Deferred capital improvements.
Future funding needs.
The presentation also described Livingston Fire & Rescue as a department that has expanded well beyond traditional firefighting into advanced EMS and technical rescue.
What happened next?
According to the May 19 commission meeting transcript, immediately following the presentation, the commission recessed.
During that recess, City Manager Grant Gager spoke with Fire Chief Josh Chabalowski and Battalion Chief Jonathan Gilbert in the hallway outside the commission chambers.
The interaction later became the subject of a formal personnel complaint and a Special City Commission hearing on June 10.
According to the complaint, the interaction included raised voices, profanity, and disagreement over the length and content of the presentation.
After reviewing witness statements, video footage, and testimony, the City Commission ultimately issued a written reprimand to the City Manager and required de-escalation training. The commission voted unanimously.
Rather than assigning the training through Human Resources with a specific completion deadline, the City Manager was allowed to choose the training himself and complete it at his own pace. As of the date of this post, the required training has not been completed.
One month later
On June 17, the City Manager placed Fire Chief Chabalowski on paid administrative leave while proposing termination.
According to the Livingston Enterprise, the stated reasons included allegations of insubordination, presentation-related concerns, and other workplace issues.
The newspaper also reports that Chief Chabalowski denied those allegations and filed suit seeking reinstatement, alleging retaliation. Those legal claims remain pending.
Why qualifications matter
This discussion is bigger than one individual.
Livingston Fire & Rescue is not a volunteer fire department.
It is a full-time municipal fire department that provides:
Structural firefighting
Advanced Life Support ambulance transport
Critical Care Paramedicine
Community Paramedicine
Technical rescue
Wildland response
Fire prevention and inspections
Hazardous materials response
These services require specialized training and certifications.
What does Livingston require of its firefighters?
The City's current firefighter job posting requires applicants to possess, at minimum:
Firefighter I certification
Hazardous Materials Operations certification
Current EMT certification
CPR certification
Preferred qualifications include:
Firefighter II
Wildland certifications
ICS/NIMS training
The position also requires maintaining competency in emergency response, rescue operations, patient care, and specialized equipment.
What does Livingston expect from its Fire Chief?
When Livingston recruited for a Fire Chief in 2022, the City described the position as a hands-on executive leader responsible for managing a combined fire and EMS department.
Minimum qualifications included:
Ten years of progressively responsible fire and EMS experience.
Five years in command and administration.
Fire Officer I and II.
Fire Instructor II.
Montana Paramedic (or ability to obtain).
Incident Command System certifications.
Budget experience.
EMS transport and billing experience.
Wildland experience.
The posting also emphasized strategic planning, budgeting, grant management, equipment planning, succession planning, and maintaining advanced emergency services.
Municipal departments and volunteer departments are different
Volunteer fire departments play a vital role throughout Montana.
However, municipal departments like Livingston Fire & Rescue typically operate under different expectations because they provide full-time emergency response, staffed ambulances, advanced EMS transport, inspections, code enforcement, and daily operational coverage.
The 2024 Consolidation Feasibility Study notes that Livingston Fire & Rescue is an all-career department providing the county's primary ALS transport service, while Park County Rural Fire District relies predominantly on volunteer personnel for fire protection.
That distinction is important when discussing future organizational structure, staffing, and leadership.
Questions worth asking
This page is not intended to answer every question.
It is intended to encourage informed discussion based on public documents.
Questions citizens may wish to consider include:
What qualifications should be expected of the person leading Livingston Fire & Rescue?
How should the City balance fire protection, EMS, rescue, inspections, and future growth?
What investments are needed to maintain current service levels?
What does the community expect from its municipal fire department over the next 10 to 20 years?
What role should citizens play in shaping those decisions?