The public safety community suffered a great loss on Monday, October 13, 2014 when William “Bill” McCammon died unexpectedly during his sleep at the age of 61.

McCammon was best known to APCO members through his work on D-Block and FirstNet. Along with others, McCammon worked to have the 10 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band adjacent to the 10 MHz already allocated to public safety reallocated to public safety for a nationwide interoperable broadband system. In May of 2011, McCammon received the Leadership in Advocacy award for his dedication and commitment to advocating for D-Block legislation during the seventh annual Public Safety Communications Leadership in Policy Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. APCO Past President Dick Mirgon reflected, “Over the past six years I have worked with Bill McCammon on a number of public safety technology issues. Bill was not only extremely knowledgeable but he was always willing to help and be part of the team. During the D Block effort, Bill represented Metro Fire Chiefs and he worked hard to keep their President and membership engaged. Bill was a strong advocate for APCO, a great statesman, a friend and he will be missed.”

Before D-Block, McCammon had a lengthy career in the fire service in the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. After growing up in Oakland, he attended the University of California, Davis and received his bachelors’ degree in Agricultural Science and Management in 1975. He began his career as a firefighter for the Dublin-San Ramon Services District before joining the San Leandro Fire Department in 1979. During his 14 years with SLFD, he held the ranks of Firefighter, Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief-Fire Marshal, and Fire Chief. When several departments consolidated into the Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) in 1993, McCammon was appointed its first Fire Chief, a position he held for 13 years. Under his leadership, the department doubled in size with the addition of contracts for service with the cities of San Leandro and Dublin and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Chief McCammon also implemented ACFD’s hazardous materials response team, rescue company and water program, and led the effort to regionalize fire dispatch within the county with the formation of the Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC). ”Chief McCammon was a champion of regionalization and innovation,” said his ACFD predecessor Chief (retired) Sheldon Gilbert. “He was committed to building relationships and systems that brought value and enhanced services to the communities he served. Chief McCammon never stopped making a difference and he left the fire service and public safer sector better than he found it! He will be missed. “

During his years as ACFD Fire Chief, McCammon served as past President of the California Fire Chiefs Association, and on the California Governor’s Emergency Response Training Advisory Committee, as well as the California Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission. He also served as Board Member of California’s Emergency Management Agency FIRESCOPE program and was Chair of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association. Chief McCammon was also active in his local community and served as President of RotaCare of the Bay Area, and was on the Board of Directors for the Alameda County Fair, San Leandro Rotary Club, and Martin C. Kauffman 100 Club. He also ran for the California State Assembly in 2006.

After his retirement from the ACFD, McCammon led the effort to create the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority (EBRCSA), which built and operates a communications system for 43 public agencies within Alameda and Contra Costa counties. He was currently serving as EBRCSA’s Executive Director.

In 2012, McCammon was elected Vice Chair of FirstNet. Chief (retired) Harlin McEwen, a Life Member of APCO International and Chair of both the IACP Communications and Technology Committee and the FirstNet Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) said, “Bill was involved for many years as an active participant and contributor at the national level in promoting improved public safety communications. As a Vice Chair and Executive Committee member of the FirstNet PSAC, he worked to advance the ongoing development of the FirstNet Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the DHS SAFECOM Program. He will be missed by those of us who worked with him in these efforts.”

Bill McCammon lived in Pleasanton, CA and is survived by his wife, Rose Padilla-Johnson, and their three children.