Chief Briscoe Appointed Interim Fire Chief
September 21, 2021
The City of Isle of Palms has named veteran fire chief Ken Briscoe to lead the Isle of Palms Fire Department until a permanent fire chief is named. After a thorough search, City Administrator Desiree Fragoso made a recommendation to the Isle of Palms City Council to name Ken Briscoe as Interim Fire Chief. Council gave concurrence to the recommendation and unanimously voted to appoint Briscoe as Interim Fire Chief effective September 23, 2021.
Briscoe will oversee all fire department operations and will report directly to Fragoso. Ms. Fragoso commented, “Chief Briscoe is a life-long firefighter and is a well-respected fire service leader. He is highly experienced and will be able to bring a wealth of competent fire service knowledge and ability to Isle of Palms during this interim period.”
Briscoe will be relocating to Isle of Palms from Oak Island, North Carolina. Most recently, Briscoe served for 14 years as the Fire Chief in Lenoir, NC. He also served as North Carolina’s Fire and Rescue Commission Director for eight years within his 43-year career fire service tenure. Briscoe is also a veteran fire service instructor, including being a specialty instructor for breathing equipment, command and control and multiple specialty rescue disciplines. He was selected as statewide firefighter of the year by his peers. Briscoe also serves as an instructor at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Briscoe commented, “I am very honored to serve in this important leadership capacity to advance the Isle of Palms Fire Department and serve this special community. I will be initially focused on listening to the men and women of the department, determining what the key priorities and needs are over the next 90-120 days and working to ensure essential safety measures are in place to move the fire department and community forward.”
The Isle of Palms Fire Department provides services from two fire stations and currently holds a “Class 1” insurance rating.