OCEAN CITY – Josh Bunting has been named the town’s new fire marshal, replacing David Hartley, who served for nearly three decades.
Bunting was officially sworn in during last week’s Mayor and Council meeting, the same day Hartley’s retirement became official. Mayor Rick Meehan pointed out there have only been four fire marshals in the town’s history and Bunting had to fill some big footsteps.
“I know these are very big shoes to fill,” Bunting said. “I will always honor the legacy they left for us.”
Hartley retired after 28 years of service to the town of Ocean City. He began his career in 1991 was a fire safety inspector and performed many life safety inspections. He was promoted to fire investigator and sworn police officer in 1996.
Hartley held various high-ranking positions in the department over his nearly three decades of service. He served as chief deputy, assistant chief and finally deputy chief fire marshal in 2011. He was also a founding member of the bomb squad after graduating from the FBI’s hazardous devices school in 2001.
“It has been and honor working for the Town of Ocean City,” Hartley commented. “I would like to thank the many brave professional employees in the Fire Marshal’s Office, fire department and police department who I have worked alongside for 28 years. I have had a blessed career and very grateful for the opportunity to serve the residents and visitors for so many years.”
Also retiring from the Office of the Fire Marshal is Deputy Fire Marshal-Plans Examiner Tim Price after 38 years of service. Price began his career with the town in 1982 as a cardiac rescue technician providing advanced medical life support to sick and injured patients. In 1989, Price transferred to the Office of the Fire Marshal as a Fire Safety Inspector.
Price was promoted to a fire investigator and sworn Ocean City police officer, upon graduating from the academy in 1997. He was promoted to a Deputy Fire Marshal II/Plans Examiner in 2003.
“Tim has been an integral part of developing fire safety standards not only here in Ocean City, but across the state of Maryland,” said IAFF 4269 President Ryan Whittington “I served under Tim’s leadership as deputy fire marshal for seven years and came to learn that Tim is dedicated to protecting lives and property and is extremely knowledgeable. Tim will be missed.”
