The fire chief  is the chief executive  of the department providing guidance and direction in the operational , financial, and strategic planning of the Fire & Rescue Department. 

Fire Chief:  William Hunt,  _{MPA, EFO, CFO}
william.hunt@cityofshelby.com

William Hunt's fire service career has spanned over thirty years and he has been with the Fire & Rescue Department since 2007.  He previously held positions with other municipal fire departments in North Carolina. William's background includes numerous professional certifications in fire and rescue disciplines and he is a credentialed Level III Code Enforcement Officer.  He serves as a peer assessor for the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) in the agency accreditation and professional credentialing programs.  He earned his graduate degree from Grand Canyon University and his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. William is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer program, and the County & Municipal Administration program at the Knapp-Sanders School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill.  He is a credentialed Chief Fire Officer (CFO) through CPSE and has held the designation since 2009.  In 2021, he was recognized as the Career Fire Chief of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs (NCAFC).  William is a past president of the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters (WNCAFF).