Malcolm Bufkin appointed as Stephens County Fire Marshal, sworn in this afternoon
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
Malcolm Bufkin was named the Stephens County Fire Marshal at the County Commissioner meeting this morning, Monday, June 23. He was sworn in this afternoon.
Bufkin will handle the county’s fire marshal duties while also serving as the fire chief for the City of Breckenridge’s Fire Department. This is his second stint at the BFD, having worked there for 28 years, including serving as the fire chief. Then, after he retired from that job, he came back as the fire chief in 2022, following Calvin Chaney’s retirement.
When he was BFD fire chief, Chaney also served as the county’s fire marshal. When Chaney retired from the BFD position, he also resigned from the county’s fire marshal position. Although Bufkin was the BFD fire chief, Constable Wayne McMullen took on the additional role as fire marshal for the county. McMullen died in April, and the fire marshal’s position has been vacant since then.
Before Bufkin was appointed as the county’s fire marshal this morning, the Breckenridge City Commission approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the city governments regarding the appointment. The agreement specifies that Bufkin’s duties to the City of Breckenridge will take precedence in matters of scheduling, inspections, investigations and emergency response.
The memorandum also defines Bufkin’s responsibilities for the county:
- Fire Investigation — Investigate the origin and cause of fires in unincorporated areas. Prepare reports and work with law enforcement when criminal activity is suspected.
- Burn Ban Oversight — Monitor weather and drought conditions and make recommendations to the Commissioners Court regarding burn bans. Educate the public on restrictions and issue citations if necessary.
- Coordination with Volunteer Fire Departments — Serve as liaison between the County and local volunteer fire departments. Support inter-agency coordination and planning for rural fire response.
In addition to officially appointing Bufkin to the position, the county commissioners also approved a $5,000 annual stipend for the work.
Cutline, top photo: Stephens County Judge Michael Roach, left, swears in Malcolm Bufkin as the new fire marshal for the county this afternoon, Monday, June 23. The county commissioners voted to appoint Bufkin to the position at their regular meeting this morning. Bufkin also is the fire chief for the City of Breckenridge. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
