Brothers is the Assistant Chief for Howard County Fire and Rescue (HCFR). James has been with HCFR for 32 years and has served in numerous positions as a Paramedic / RN, Training Division Chief, Chief of Operations. He has received accreditation by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) in Chief Fire Officer (CFO) and Chief Emergency Medical Services Chief (CEMSO). James completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. James has worked as a Family and Emergency Nurse Practitioner for the University of Maryland Hospital systems and taught part-time at the School of Nursing at the University of Maryland. James provides administrative and medical oversight of Maryland’s most progressive public safety EMS systems. James is a core faculty member of the Maryland Resuscitation Academy which is committed to improving cardiac arrest survival. James has served on and has led several committees at the local, regional, and federal levels. James has received numerous leadership awards including the Harvard Fellowship at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government for State and Local Executives 2014. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and is the Vice President for the International Association of EMS Chiefs.