Deputy Chief Michael Burden began his career with the Abilene Fire Department in 1991. A graduate of Abilene High School, Cisco College, and West Texas A&M with a degree in Emergency Management. Chief Burden worked the majority of his career in emergency services fulfilling the roles from a probationary firefighter to a shift battalion chief. Chief Burden was appointed in 2016 to lead the Emergency Services Division for the Abilene Fire Department. He holds many certifications including Master Firefighter, Incident Safety Officer, and Firegournd Commander plus many others.The goal of the Emergency Services Division is to meet the needs of the citizens of Abilene by providing top-level emergency services and being prepared to respond to all types of incidents.