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Council thanks Chief Miller, welcomes Justin Ward as new fire chief

Battalion Chief Bradley Bailey, Battalion Chief Dustin Nicholson, Chief Justin Ward, Chief D. James Miller, Fire Marshal Nate Young, Administrative Assistant Pam Ludwig and Battalion Chief Jon Ward. [CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE]

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 6, 2026

The Hendersonville City Council honored retiring Fire Chief D. James Miller and welcomed the new chief, Justin Ward, during its regular meeting Thursday night.

During the meeting, the council and staff recognized Miller for his 35 years in the fire service, the past decade in service to the Hendersonville community.  

“I have been blessed to be here, and I have been blessed to work for the citizens and visitors,” Miller said. “I’m very thankful to each and every one of you. The kudos ought to go to the men and women in our department that make it look easy.” 
Since 1991, Miller served in a variety of positions in the fire service including firefighter, EMT, paramedic, lieutenant, administrative captain, battalion chief, and assistant chief, with specializations as a Type 2 Urban Search and Rescue Team Officer, Hazardous Materials Technician, Special Operations Toxicological Paramedic and Gold Team member of a Division of Forestry Incident Management Team.   
Joining the HFD team as deputy fire chief in 2016 and rising to chief in 2020, Miller served a distinguished career with the city, elevating and improving the fire department in numerous ways including: 

• Designation as an ISO Class 1 agency rating, the highest possible Public Protection Classification (PPC) awarded to fire departments, representing superior fire suppression capabilities and a level that less than 1% of fire departments across the nation are able to achieve.  
• The oversight and construction of the City’s headquarter station, Fire Station #1, opened in September of 2024 and served as the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during the historic tropical storm Helene.  
• Planning and replacement of Engines 9-1, Engine 9-2, and Tower 9-1.  
• Planning and purchase of Engine 9-3, in conjunction with the establishment of a third engine company, hiring twelve new firefighters, establishing Battalion Chiefs, and ultimately improving the city’s reliability measure to greater than 90 percent.  
• Creating strong relationships with neighboring departments, internal departments and staff, and creating succession plans for advancement within the fire department. 

During the presentation, Miller was honored with a note from U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, as well as a plaque from his HFD command staff. He was described as a leader who has guided the department with calm and clarity. 
Deputy City Manager Brian Pahle thanked Chief Miller for his service and mentorship and read a resolution of respect and appreciation. 
The council adopted a resolution renaming the Fire Station 1 Training Room as the "Chief D. James Miller Emergency Operations Center" in appreciation of his valuable service and leadership. 
After Miller’s recognition, Ward was sworn in as the new fire chief.  
A city firefighter since 2007, Ward previously worked full-time with the Valley Hill Fire Department and alongside his father in construction. Throughout his career, Ward has served as firefighter, engineer, lieutenant, captain, fire marshal, and most recently, deputy chief. 
“I am deeply grateful to the City Council, Administration, Chief Miller and our entire staff for the opportunity to lead this outstanding organization,” he said. “I also want to sincerely thank my wife and family for their constant support and sacrifice throughout this journey. None of this would be possible without them. Having been a part of this organization for the past 17 years, I have seen firsthand how far we’ve come, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together. I’m excited for the future and look forward to continuing to serve this great community that I call home.”