Copperas Cove swears in Douglas Matthijetz as new fire chief

Douglas Matthijetz was sworn in as the City of Copperas Cove Fire Chief at a public swearing-in and badge-pinning ceremony held in the City Council Chambers, 508 S. 2nd Street, on Jan. 23 at 10:00 a.m. The appointment follows a city announcement posted Jan. 8 and Matthijetz officially assumed his duties on Jan. 26.

Matthijetz brings more than 35 years of fire service experience, most recently serving as Deputy Fire Chief for the Corpus Christi Fire Department. The city highlighted his record of securing more than $523,000 in grant funding for training and equipment, implementing department-wide career development programs, collaborating with municipal partners on infrastructure projects, serving as an Incident Management Team reservist on statewide and national deployments, and teaching as an adjunct instructor in fire science education. City officials said the hire aligns with priorities of safety, service, and accountability as Copperas Cove continues to grow.

The ceremony was open to the public and attended by city staff and officials. City Manager Ryan Haverlah singled out Police Chief and Assistant City Manager Eddie Wilson for his role in coordinating the selection. “He has taken the role of really organizing and coordinating and setting up the entire schedule for our interview process and selection process for our fire chief, and it went very, very well,” said Haverlah. Haverlah also thanked Dave Bailey, who served as interim fire chief since last fall following the retirement of former chief Gary Young in September.

Police Chief Eddie Wilson spoke about Matthijetz’s experience and the family sacrifices that accompany a career in fire service. “We all know that Chief Matthijetz is walking into a profession that he's already been a big part of throughout his life, that is high demand, demands a lot of time, demands holidays and demands things taken away from your family. This decision doesn't happen without the support of his wife. So thank you for sharing Chief Matthijetz,” Wilson said.

After taking the oath, Matthijetz addressed the crowd about his goals for the department. "I look forward to the all the potential possibilities that are out there, the opportunities to serve in this community in the years to come. I look forward to meeting with and working with all the members of the fire department, men and women who are out there on the street, working with them to make this City push forward as it continues to grow,” said Matthijetz.

Officials and observers have noted Matthijetz’s large-budget management experience and training initiatives could bolster firefighter safety, station facilities, capital projects, and interagency response capabilities in Copperas Cove. Residents seeking more information or wishing to contact the fire chief may reach Chief Douglas Matthijetz at dmatthijetz@copperascovetx.gov or (254) 547-2514. For media or public relations inquiries, contact Kevin Keller at kkeller@copperascovetx.gov or (254) 547-4221 x6243.

Matthijetz’s arrival closes a transitional period for the department and signals an emphasis on training, grant-funded equipment, and coordination with municipal partners. Expect to see department initiatives unfold over the coming months as the new chief settles into his role and begins implementing priorities tied to growth and community safety.