Aetna promotes longtime firefighter to assistant chief

A longtime Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company firefighter was promoted during a brief ceremony Monday.

Captain Brandon Stombaugh will now serve as the assistant chief of career services, which is the highest-ranking position among the full-time paid career staff at the fire department.

Stombaugh was appointed in 2006 as a firefighter and emergency medical technician and was subsequently promoted to lieutenant and captain.

He is also a member of Citizens Hose Company No. 1 and the American Legion Ambulance in Smyrna. He holds a degree in biological sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University, in addition to several professional fire service certifications at the operational, command and instructor levels.