Who staffs the Department?

Our department is considered a "Combination Department". We are staffed partially by personnel who are paid to be on duty during the week, but primarily our staff is made up of volunteers. We currently have thirty active members on the roster. We have three divisions of personnel. Those divisions are Active Firefighters and Officers, Support Staff personnel and Junior members. Everyone knows what a firefighter does, but let us tell you about our Support Staff and Junior member program. Our support staff is made up of personnel who do not wish to run into burning buildings. They help out on scene in many ways. Their biggest responsibility is to provide adequate rehabilitation for the firefighters on scene during an incident. Heat exhaustion and dehydration can be devastating to a firefighter. Our support staff provides an excellent rehabilitation for all personnel on scene. They provide ice cold bottled water and "Gatorade" to everyone. They also handle routine matters such as filling air bottles and changing out air bottles so that the firefighters can go back in the building to finish the job. Our rehab personnel range from 16 years of age to almost sixty and are a valuable resource to our department.

Our Junior Firefighter program allows young people between the ages of 16 and 18 to join the department in a capacity that allows them to evaluate the fire service both as a career as well as a community service. Ten of our current members began their service as Junior Firefighters. Of those, three are now Captains and one being the Assistant Chief in the department.

If you live in the Northwest area of Houston Texas and are interested in joining a Volunteer Fire Department please call us at 281-583-8014 or send us an e-mail. Please read the requirements on our How To Join link on the left side of the screen.


Command Staff


Wesley Cole-Fire Chief

Wesley started with Northwest VFD in 1998 as a junior firefighter and over the years moved his way through the ranks to his current position as Fire Chief. He has an AAS Fire Science Technology degree from Lone Star College and also is certified by the TCFP as an Intermediate Firefighter, Basic Fire Investigator, Basic Inspector, Driver/Operator, Hazardous Materials Technician, Instructor I, and Fire Officer II as well as certified by the SFFMA as a Master Firefighter, Level II Fire Prevention Specalist, Fire Investigator, Instructor II, Fire Officer II, Incident Safety Officer and Driver/Operator. Also, Wesley is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Texas Fire Chiefs Association, and the Volunteer & Combination Officers section of the IAFC. Wesley also has a background in EMS, starting as an EMT-Basic shortly after graduating high school in 2002. Since that time he has gone back to school and is now certified as an EMT-Intermediate. In addition to being the Fire Chief he is also a member of the High Angle, Confined Space, and Trench Rescue teams as a Technician.

An Nguyen-Assistant Chief

An (Andrew) has been with us since November 2001. He also joined our team as a junior firefighter. Since that time he has worked very hard and dilligently and has moved his way through the ranks to his current rank of Assistant Chief. Andrew is certified by the TCFP as a Basic Structural Firefighter, Basic Fire Investigator, and Driver/Operator as well as certified by the SFFMA as an Accreditied Advanced Firefighter. As with others he volunteers hundreds of hours each year with Northwest VFD and very rarely misses a single call. Like others he continually is learning new disciplines within the fire service including being a Trench Rescue Technician, High Angle & Confined Space Technician, and Incident Safety Officer. Andrew has attended Lone Star & Houston Community Colleges where he has attained AAS degrees in Fire Science Technology & Fire Protection Technology.

Marguerite Cole-Safety & Training Officer

Marguerite (Maggie) has served Northwest VFD for over 20 years! She, like others started as an interior firefighter and over the years has moved up and through the ranks as a Lieutenant, Captain, and currently as the Safety & Training Officer. She is certified by SFFMA as an Advanced Firefighter, Instructor II, and by TEEX as an Incident Safety Officer and ensures safety of all personnel on the fireground. Although not currently certified, has experience in EMS as an EMT-Basic for 8 years. She continues to make improvements to the safety program and training department. Maggie has spent thousands of volunteer hours in the last 20+ years making sure Northwest VFD continues to serve the community in NW Harris County with fire protection. All the while she is nearly a full-time student working on her degrees in Fire Science Technology and Education. During the week you can find her in the business office where she is also our Office Manager, Public Education Specialist, and most importantly the member with the most years of experience!

J.D. Williams-Safety Officer

With more than 5 years of experience J.D. has excelled with us a volunteer firefighter. Following in the footsteps of his son and the peaked interest in the fire service, J.D. has served through the ranks to have previously held the rank of station captain. By profession he is a contract electrician with KBR working in a refinery in Texas City. J.D. spends most of his extra time with the fire department, his family including five grandchildren or relaxing and playing golf. Amongst his accomplishments in life he is a certified Basic Firefighter through the SFFMA, a Trench Rescue Technician, and has attended officer development classes around the country.

Rory Daigre-Lieutenant

Rory is a 4 year veteran of NWVFD currently serving as Lieutenant at Station 41. He and his son spend most of their extra time at the fire station ensuring a quick response from the Station 41 apparatus. Among being a volunteer firefighter, Rory is a family man who attends most of his son's baseball games or attending a professional sports event with the rest of his family. Rory is expanding his knowledge in the fire service and is working his way to being a High Angle & Confined Space Technician.


Featured May 2009 Members




Rory Daigre-Lieutenant

Rory is a 4 year veteran of NWVFD currently serving as Lieutenant at Station 41. He and his son spend most of their extra time at the fire station ensuring a quick response from the Station 41 apparatus. Among being a volunteer firefighter, Rory is a family man who attends most of his son's baseball games or attending a professional sports event with the rest of his family. Rory is expanding his knowledge in the fire service and is working his way to being a High Angle & Confined Space Technician.

Michelle Cole-Support Staff Member

Among other family members, Michelle is the 4th of the Cole family to be a member of NWVFD. She has put in hundreds if not thousands of hours volunteering with us over the years. Michelle left for four years after high school to attend Texas A&M University where she graduated in 2002 with a degree in Psychology. Michelle moved back to Houston into the NWVFD service district and since has started a career as school teacher with Klein ISD. Most of the time you can find Michelle behind the steering wheel of the fire trucks freeing up a firefighter from driving. Michelle has been certified as an EMT-Basic by the Texas Department of State Health Services since 1998.

J.D. Williams-Firefighter

With more than 5 years of experience J.D. has excelled with us a volunteer firefighter. Following in the footsteps of his son and the peaked interest in the fire service, J.D. has served through the ranks to have previously held the rank of station captain. By profession he is a contract electrician with KBR working in a refinery in Texas City. J.D. spends most of his extra time with the fire department, his family including five grandchildren or relaxing and playing golf. Amongst his accomplishments in life he is a certified Basic Firefighter through the SFFMA, a Trench Rescue Technician, and has attended officer development classes around the country.