West Virginia State Fire Marshal Anthony Wayne “Tony” Carrico announced this week that he will be leaving the Fire Marshal’s Office at the end of the year, to pursue another opportunity within the state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. Carrico, 46, has accepted a position at the Division of Corrections, as a corrections program manager. “I have totally enjoyed my 22-and-a-half years with the Fire Marshal’s Office,” Carrico said Monday. “I put my heart and soul into the agency, but an opportunity presented itself that would take me in another direction and I chose to take it. I sincerely appreciate the confidence and the trust that the Fire Commission and the public have placed in me.” Carrico had been acting state fire marshal since April 2013, and the Fire Commission selected him as the permanent occupant of that post in September. The commission has scheduled a special meeting for Dec. 22. A native and resident of Boone County, Carrico joined the Fire Marshal’s Office in 1992 after graduating from West Virginia University. “Tony has committed his life to public service and the state of West Virginia,” said Military Affairs and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Joseph Thornton. “The years of experience and fire expertise that depart with Tony will be hard to replace. I wish Tony every success in his new endeavor.” The State Fire Marshal’s Office is part of the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. Its mission is to improve the quality of life of the citizens of West Virginia through the leadership, development and administration of fire safety programs and to reduce the loss of life and property through education, inspections, investigations, certification, licensure, building plan reviews and enforcement of fire safety laws.
