CUMBERLAND — Caroll H. Spriggs II was appointed Maryland state fire marshal Wednesday, the first Black to serve in the position in the department’s 132-year history.
He was appointed to a six-year term and will lead the Office of the State Fire Marshal, an agency of the Maryland State Police, according to a press release. He replaces Acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray, who has been in the position since December 2023.
Maryland has the nation’s oldest state fire marshal’s office, with a mission to protect lives and property through fire prevention, investigation, code enforcement and public safety education.
Spriggs served as a deputy fire chief for the Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. He also served as deputy fire chief for the city of Annapolis and as a task force officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
He has been a member of the Huntington Volunteer Fire Department in Calvert County for 38 years.
“With a career rooted in service and extensive experience in fire investigation and explosives, Spriggs brings a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office,” state police Col. Michael A. Jackson, who made the appointment, said. “I send my since appreciation to Chief Deputy Jason Mowbray for his leadership and his continued dedication to the citizens of Maryland.”
Mowbray, an Allegany County resident, began as a junior firefighter in the early 1990s with the Barton Volunteer Fire Department, according to Chief Kevin Rounds.
According to the release, he will assist Spriggs’ transition to the new role, then be assigned to the senior management team.
Allegany Garrett Counties Volunteer Fire Rescue Association President Jonathan Dayton thanked Mowbray for his leadership, dedication and service to Maryland’s fire service over the past three years in a social media post Wednesday.
“We greatly appreciate his continued efforts to support our volunteers and help make Maryland’s communities safer,” Dayton wrote.