Taylor named state fire marshal
Published 5:09 pm Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Former Albemarle fire marshal Brian Taylor signed paperwork Monday to officially become state fire marshal.
It happened less than two weeks after State Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey fired his top staff in the Office of State Fire Marshal, including Taylor, as Causey and the General Assembly disputed whether the office should be independent from the state insurance commissioner.
Brian Taylor of Albemarle is the N.C. state fire marshal.
Taylor was appointed by Causey in 2018 to lead the office as chief state fire marshal. The role of state insurance commissioner is an elected position.
After Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 409, Taylor was named to the position, retroactively to Oct. 1. The General Assembly is expected to confirm the position in January.
One part of the bill was “to establish an independent office of the state fire marshal in the department of insurance, to prescribe the powers and duties of that office, and to amend certain firefighter programs.
Before going to his state position, Taylor had held positions of a volunteer firefighter, fire marshal and investigator with the City of Albemarle.
B.J. Drye is general manager/editor of The Stanly News & Press. Call 704-982-2123.