Bio Tom Gwyer

Tom Gwyer is the Fire Chief for the Myrtle Beach Fire Department. He was hired in 1993 and appointed to his current position in 2018. He holds a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University and a bachelor’s degree from Coastal Carolina University. 

Chief Gwyer is a 2014 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s prestigious Executive Fire Officer Program and was only the 11^th person in program history to complete all four research projects with perfect scores. In 2015 he was inducted into the FEMA Research Roll of Honor. Also in 2015, he was named a Motorola Future Leaders Scholar through the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He possesses the Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Chief Gwyer was recognized as the 2020 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by Coastal Carolina University. He was also named the 2021 Career Fire Chief of the Year by the Southeastern Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He was the City Employee of the Year in 2002 and has received numerous lifesaving awards throughout his career.

Chief Gwyer is a member of the Pee Dee Regional Type-III Incident Management Team and was deployed to Texas & Florida following Hurricane Harvey & Hurricane Michael respectively. He is also served for six years on the IAFC’s Program Planning Committee to develop the annual Fire-Rescue International Conference and was the Vice President of the Horry-Georgetown Fire Chiefs Association. He is currently the Secretary-Treasurer for the Coastal Carolina University Alumni Association.