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A Change of Command Ceremony was held on June 29th, 2007 at DFRA’s Fire Station #1. After 26 years in the fire service, Chief Mike Dunaway retired and Deputy Chief Dan Noonan has replaced him as the Chief of the Authority.

Dunaway, who had served as Chief of the Durango Fire Department since 1988 was named Chief of the Authority after the merger of the Durango Fire Department, the Animas Fire Protection District, the Hermosa Cliffs Fire Protection District, and Mercy Medical Center’s Emergency Medical Services in 2002. Chief Dunaway had also served as a volunteer firefighter with the Animas Fire Protection District prior to starting his career at the City of Durango’s Fire Department in 1981.

Noonan has been the DFRA's Deputy Chief of Support Services since 2002. Dan began his career as a volunteer for the Animas Fire Protection District in 1976. Two years later, he became a founding member of the Hermosa Cliff Fire Protection District and was named Chief of the district in 1989. Dan is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy, a Colorado Fire Officer III, a nationally registered paramedic, a certified instructor for fire and emergency medical services and a hazardous-materials technician.

Chief Noonan will be assuming command of a combination department which covers a primary response area of 385 square miles with a total of 171 employees and members. The department maintains 16 stations, 3 of which are staffed by career firefighters and medics, while the remaining 13 stations are operated by volunteer members.