Battalion I includes Stations 3,8,11,12.
Battalion I Office is located at Station 11
A Shift - Battalion Chief William Skelaney joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department on July 1, 1980. He is currently assigned in the Operations Division as Battalion 1 on A shift. Chief Skelaney has ancillary responsibilities for the Hazardous Materials Program and is the scheduling officer for A shift. He has been involved with the Leave Committee, Awards Committee, and has served as an assessor for several localities for promotional processes. Chief Skelaney was promoted to Battalion Chief on August 18, 2010.
Chief Skelaney is a substitute teacher at Great Bridge Christian Academy for grades 3-9 and has his Master Electrician Certificate.
Chief Skelaney holds a B.S. in Business Administration with emphasis in Management from St. Leo University and an A.S. in Fire Science from Tidewater Community College.
B Shift - Battalion Chief Amy Valdez joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department in July of 1996. She is currently assigned to Fire Operations as Battalion 1 on B shift. Chief Valdez is responsible for the daily supervision and management of operational activities, equipment, personnel and is the Operations Representative to the Emergency Management Battalion Chief for Special Events for the City. She has ancillary program responsibilities for the Hazardous Materials Program and is part of the VBFD Accreditation Team.
Chief Valdez is a National Registry Paramedic since 1997 and currently serves as a medical specialist for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue VA TF-2. Urban Search and Rescue Team. She is a Heavy Technical Rescue Instructor for the Virginia Department of Fire Programs.
Chief Valdez holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Richmond and an A.A.S in Emergency Medical Science from Tidewater Community College.
C Shift - Battalion Chief David Hutcheson joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department in August of 1998. He is currently assigned to Fire Operations in Battalion 1 on C on shift. Chief Hutcheson is the Operational Program Manager of the Hazardous Materials Program. He is also responsible for coordinating the Virginia Beach Fire Department Service Awards Ceremony and is the coordinator for the VBFD Honor Guard. Chief Hutcheson is a Plans Manager for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue VA-TF2.
Chief Hutcheson holds a B.A. in Fire Administration from Hampton University.
Battalion II includes Stations 1,2,4,7,9.
Battalion II Office is located at Station 2.
A Shift - Battalion Chief Patrick Humphries joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department on April 1, 1988. He is currently assigned in Fire Operations as Battalion 2 on A shift. Chief Humphries is the Program Manager for the Virginia Beach Fire Department Marine Response Team. He is also the Agency Representative for the City of Virginia Beach Maritime Incident Response Team.
Chief Humphries holds an A.A.S. in Fire Science and is currently finishing up his Bachelors Degree. He has completed his Executive Fire Officer Program with the National Fire Academy and is a Nationally Registered Paramedic.
B Shift -
C Shift - Battalion Chief Leon Dextradeur joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department in January of 1983. He is currently assigned to Operations Division in Battalion 2. He is Pro Board Certified through the Fire Department Safety Officers Association as an Incident Safety Officer and a Health Safety Officer. He is a HazMat Specialist, Instructor III, Fire Officer III, a National Registered Paramedic, and a Technical Rescue Instructor with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. Dextradeur is the Plans Section Chief for VA-TF2 US&R Team with notable deployments to Oklahoma City, The Pentagon, Hurricanes Katrina, Frances, Ivan, 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Chief Dextradeur holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Administration from Hampton University in Hampton, VA.
Battalion III includes Stations 10,16,18,19,20.
Battalion III Office is located at Station 18.
A Shift - Battalion Chief Perry Ehle joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department on September 1, 1983. He is currently assigned in operations as Battalion 3 on A shift. Chief Ehle is the Program Manager for Fire Department Information Technology Team and has ancillary responsibility for the Technical Rescue Program.
Chief Ehle holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Technology and Safety from the University of Cincinnati.
B Shift - Battalion Chief Daryl Funaiock has 35 years of fire service experience and has been with the Virginia Beach Fire Department for 23 years. Chief Funaiock serves as the Program Manager for the Technical Rescue Program for the Virginia Beach Fire Department and is the Technical Rescue Regional Coordinator for Virginia Division 5. He currently serves as a Safety Officer for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team VA TF 2.
Chief Funaiock holds an A.S. in Fire Science from Alleghany County Community College, B.S. in Safety Science Management from Indiana University of PA and is a Graduate of West Point Leadership Academy.
C Shift - Battalion Chief John Harvey joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department in 1981. He has operated in many roles within the department including line and staff functions. Battalion Chief Harvey is currently assigned to the Operations Division as Battalion 3 on C shift and is responsible for the coordination of the Fire Hydrant Maintenance Program, serving as the department’ s liaison with the City’s Public Utilities Department and assisting with the daily operations of the department’s staff scheduling program.
In the past he has provided program management for the Department’s Safety Division as the department’s Safety Officer and special operations functions including the program management of the Hazardous Materials Team and daily operational management of the department’s Technical Rescue Team and the Tidewater Regional Technical Rescue Team as the lead agency.
Chief Harvey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Saint Leo University
Battalion IV includes Stations 5,6,13,17,21.
Battalion IV Office is located at Station 21.
A Shift - Battalion Chief John Crandell joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department in January of 1988. He was promoted to Battalion Chief in March 2011. Chief Crandell is currently assigned to the Operations Division as Battalion 4 on A shift that covers the southern end of the city. He is the Program Manager for the Virginia Beach Fire Department Apparatus and Fleet Program where is coordinates all vehicle purchases. Chief Crandell has been assigned in many areas of the city during his career including London Bridge, Plaza, Green Run, as well as assignments to the VBFD Marine Division and as the supervisor of the Tidewater Regional Fire Academy for the Virginia Beach Fire Department.
Chief Crandell holds a Bachelors degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University
B Shift - Acting Battalion Chief Deborah Crisher joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department in November of 1995. She is currently assigned to the Operations Division as Battalion 4 on B shift. Prior to her acting assignment she was the safety officer for A shift and is a captain.
Acting Chief Crisher holds a B.S. in Safety and Health.
C Shift - Battalion Chief Brian Taylor joined the Virginia Beach Fire Department on January 16, 1989. He is currently assigned to the Operations Division as Battalion 4 on C shift. He is responsible for the daily supervision and management of operational activities, equipment, and personnel in his battalion and responds to provide command and control of emergency incidents.
Chief Taylor serves as the Program Manager for the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Strike Team, which is comprised of members from numerous Hampton Roads and Peninsula emergency services agencies. Chief Taylor is assigned to the Strike Team as an Operations Section Chief. Chief Taylor is also the Program Manager for the Virginia Beach Fire Department Pre-Incident Planning program.
Chief Taylor received his Associates Degree in Fire Science from Tidewater Community College and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management (minor in Leadership) from the University of Richmond.
