About our Fire Chiefs

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Blaine Cowan became the interim Fire Chief on September 1, 2025. Chief Cowan retired from Missoula Rural Fire District in 2022 as a Battalion Chief/ Training Officer. Blaine is a IFSAC/ Pro-Board certified Fire Officer, Paramedic, Plans Section Chief. He is technician level Rope Rescue and Confined Space. Blaine served for 10 years on the Montana State Firefighter's Association as a Pension Board Advisory member and Secretary/ Treasurer. Born and raised in Montana, Blaine enjoys all that MT has to offer.

Michael Bowman is a seasoned fire service leader with over 30 years of experience in fire suppression, emergency medical services, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, and emergency management. He serves our area as Assistant Chief (Volunteer) with Seeley Lake Rural Fire District, assisting the Fire Chief with rebuilding department operations and budgetary stability while supporting policy development, training, mentorship, and board reporting.

He currently also serves full-time as a Battalion Chief with Missoula Rural Fire District, where he provides personnel and operational oversight for five fire stations, manages district personnel functions, and responds as an Incident Commander to fire, rescue, and EMS incidents. In addition to his command responsibilities, Chief Bowman functions as an Advanced Life Support provider and rescue technician, participates in automatic and mutual aid responses, conducts business pre-planning and fire and life safety inspections, and serves on multiple district committees including apparatus, run-card, and station design. Throughout his career, he has held progressively responsible roles including Firefighter, Engineer, Fire Investigator, and has been recognized for promoting professional, safe, and positive work environments. He previously served as the Missoula Regional Hazardous Materials Coordinator for the State of Montana, and he remains an active technician-level member of the state regional HazMat response team.

Chief Bowman holds an Associates of Applied Science degree in Fire Science and has completed extensive advanced training, including New Executive Chief Officer at the National Fire Academy and Blue Card Incident Commander Certification. He has also served as a Fire Science Lead Instructor at the University of Montana, contributing to the education and development of future fire service professionals. His leadership philosophy centers on accountability, mentorship, operational excellence, and service to the community.

He is passionate about the service and what we can provide to our community and looks forward to a continual professional service delivery to the people we serve.