Assistant Chief of Administration

Assistant Chief Matt Brown

In 1998, Matt Brown began his career as a firefighter with Polk County Fire Rescue before joining the Lakeland Fire Department in 1999. He served as a firefighter until 2005 when he was promoted to Lieutenant. In 2016, he was appointed as the department's first Training Captain, and in 2022, he was further promoted within the Training Division to Training Chief. Effective July 28, 2024, Matt will assume the Assistant Chief of Administration role.

Chief Brown previously served as the coordinator for the department's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and SWAT Paramedic teams. He holds certifications as a Fire Officer II, Fire Inspector II, Fire Instructor III, Live Fire Instructor I, State Pump Operator, and Paramedic. Chief Brown is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Managing Fire Officer (MFO) Program and the Florida Fire Chief's Association Emergency Services Leadership Institution (ESLI). In addition to these professional certifications, he is a principal committee member for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1006 and NFPA 1021 committees, providing recommendations for national standards on Technical Rescue and Professional Qualifications for Fire Officers. Chief Brown also serves as the Work Group Leader for the State Technical Rescue Teams.

In addition to his work at the Lakeland Fire Department, Chief Brown is actively involved in serving his community. He is a dedicated member of the Lakeland Rotary Club and a graduate and member of Lakeland Leadership Class XXXIII.

Chief Brown has received multiple Firefighter of the Year awards on local and state levels for two heroic off-duty actions and his community service. In 2016, he was honored with the American Legion National Firefighter of the Year award for related incidents.