Fire Chief Troy Koteras has served in Emergency Services for over 30 years, holding numerous positions in operations and management. 

Chief Koteras joined South Montgomery County Fire Department in June 2017 as the Deputy Chief of Operations, where he planned, organized, and directed the Operations and Training Divisions of the department. He was promoted to Assistant Chief in November of 2020. As Assistant Chief, in addition to overseeing the Operations and Training Divisions, his responsibilities included creating, updating, and revising policies and procedures, managing department resources within the confines of the annual budget, and assisting with the strategic and long-term planning of the organization.  In January 2022, Chief Koteras was promoted by the ESD Board to Fire Chief of the Department. 

He’s certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection as Head of Department Suppression, Master Structure Firefighter, Fire Officer IV, Fire Instructor II, Incident Commander, Incident Safety Officer, Hazardous Materials Incident Commander, and Driver Operator-Pumper. He’s also certified by the Texas DSHS as a Paramedic. 

Chief Koteras is also employed with the Houston Fire Department, serving since Nov. 7, 1994.  He has promoted through the ranks from Firefighter to District Chief, and is currently assigned to District 34 on the Northeast side of Houston where he oversees the operations of five fire stations. From 2002 to 2013, he was employed as the Assistant Chief – EMS for HCESD #46 (Atascocita Fire Department). From 1997 to 2006, he was employed as an EMS Instructor/Examiner for the San Jacinto College District in Houston. From 1993 to 2003, he was employed as the Operations Director for North Channel EMS in Houston.   

Chief Adam Moore is a 23-year veteran of the fire and EMS service. He currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Administration for the South Montgomery County Fire Department. As such, he is responsible for the Emergency Preparedness and Maintenance divisions as well as Human Resources.   

Chief Moore began his fire service career in 1999 as a Volunteer Fire Fighter for the Ovid/Middlebury Fire Department in the State of Michigan.  He moved to the Clinton Area Fire & Rescue in St. Johns, Michigan in 2001, and was a member of the Clinton County Special Response Team on September 11, 2001. 

On the evening of September 11th, Chief Moore and 15 other members from Clinton Area Fire & Rescue, and the Center Line Department of Public Safety, were sent from Michigan to New York City to assist with the rescue and recovery of efforts at Ground Zero. The teams worked at Ground Zero for three days during this life altering event. 

 In 2006, he took a position with the City of Lake City, Florida Fire Department as their Logistics Officer, where he served from until 2008.  

Chief Moore worked overseas in Bahrain as a Technical Rescue Coordinator contractor for the United States Navy instructing Technical Rescue practices to troops overseas.  

In 2009, Chief Moore came to South County, which was a department under extreme transition at the time, and took over as the Captain on the A shift. In 2011, Chief Moore was promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief on A Shift where he commanded the daily operations of his shift. 

In April of 2022 Chief Moore was promoted to his current position. 

Chief Moore holds current Texas certifications as an Advanced Fire Fighter, Fire Instructor II, Fire Officer IV, Driver/Operator, Incident Safety Officer, and Paramedic. 

Assistant Chief Joseph Leggio joined the South Montgomery County Fire Department in July 2022, where he directs the Operations, Training, and Emergency Preparedness/Inspections Divisions. He is responsible for ensuring the uniformed personnel of SMCFD are equipped and prepared to deliver excellent service to the citizens they have sworn to serve. This objective is achieved through careful budgetary planning, delivery of exceptional training, promoting community risk management, and managing the daily operations of the fire department. Assistant Chief Leggio has a team of 8 Battalion Chiefs (2 Administrative, 6 Suppression) and an Executive Assistant who works diligently to ensure Operations perform at their highest level.

Chief Leggio is proud to be a 4^th generation firefighter. He served over 22 years with the Houston Fire Department, where he was promoted to District Chief. Through various assignments, overtime shifts, fill-ins, and working for smaller department duty crews, Chief Leggio has worked at over 100 fire stations and responded to thousands of EMS and fire calls. This was an invaluable experience that enabled him to see many different tactics and techniques and to work with people from all walks of life. He maintains certifications as a Master Structure Firefighter, Hazardous Materials Technician, Hazardous Materials Incident Commander, and Instructor II. Additionally, he was a licensed Real Estate Agent for 16 years, where he interacted with clients from various industries and demographics, managed contract writing and negotiations, and focused on excellent customer service. Chief Leggio worked diligently throughout his career to obtain his bachelor’s degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University and a master’s degree in executive leadership from Liberty University.

Chief Leggio believes the driving forces in his life include his faith in God and a deep love for his family. He is an active member of Hope Church Montgomery, where he attends worship, teaches Bible studies, and is supported by a loving church family and committed leadership. Chief Leggio has been married to his devoted wife for 25 years, and together, they have six children, one of whom is a firefighter with SMCFD.

Chief Leggio looks forward to being part of the growth and development of this fantastic department. The community in which the South Montgomery County Fire Department operates continues to expand at a tremendous rate. The department must progress with the community to provide outstanding service to its citizens and continue to be an organization where its employees get to participate in a fantastic career.

Battalion Chief Matthew Adelman joined the South Montgomery County Fire Department in June 2018. As Battalion Chief Emergency Preparedness, he oversees Community Risk Reduction activities (CRR), the Inspections Division and Emergency Preparedness.

Chief Adelman started in the fire service as a Junior Firefighter at Pecan Grove Fire Department near Richmond, TX in 1991. He has since volunteered and/or worked for various departments across Texas. He spent 17 years with Atascocita Fire Department as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Project Manager overseeing the design and construction of both apparatus and fire stations, and Division Chief of Emergency Management. His fire service career includes 20 years with the Houston Fire Department as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Engineer Operator, Incident Command Technician, and Captain at several of the busier stations throughout the city such as the Medical Center, Acres Homes, Independence Heights and Greenspoint.

Chief Adelman maintains many certifications including Master Structure Firefighter, Instructor II, Fire Officer II, Fire and Life Safety Educator II, Driver Operator Pumper and Aerial, Incident Safety Officer, Incident Commander, Fire Inspector and is a Licensed Paramedic. He completed an Associate of Science in Occupational Safety and Health with a Hazardous Materials option at Texas State Technical College in Waco, TX, and obtained a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Emergency Management and Criminal Justice from the University of North Texas.

Michael Hermes moved to the Houston area in September of 2023 when he accepted a position with the South Montgomery County Fire Department; before that, he was a career firefighter in Illinois, working for the Minooka Fire Protection District and the Wilmington Fire Protection District. Michael started his 25-year fire service career in his senior year in high school as a volunteer firefighter with the Wilmington Fire Protection District. Michael holds an associate degree in fire science technology from Joliet Junior College and a bachelor’s degree in public safety administration from Southern Illinois University. Michael has been happily married to his wife for 15 years, and they have three daughters.

Chief Michael Johnson has been an active member of the public safety community for more than 43 years, with experience in fire service, emergency medical services, and emergency service training. He was appointed Assistant Fire Chief by Chief Hudson in October 2009 and became A Shift Battalion Chief in January 2016.

He came to Texas from Florida, where he was the Fire Chief of Lake City. During his career, he has held the roles of Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Battalion Chief, Training Chief, Captain, and Lieutenant, and he’s served in Texas, Florida, Michigan, California, Kansas, and Missouri.

He’s a Texas-certified Advanced Firefighter, Fire Officer IV, and Fire Instructor II, and he holds a Hazardous Materials Technician certification, Chief Johnson has a broad span of knowledge in large-water supply training for fire departments and has ISO consulting work experience. Chief Johnson was also the Regional Manager for Ferrara Fire Apparatus for the state of Texas from July 2007 to February 2017.

Chief Johnson had the honor to serve as one of the responders to the World Trade Center disaster in New York City, working search and recovery activities at Ground Zero from Sept. 12-14, 2001.

Chief Mike Butler has been an active member of the fire service for 30 years and has served the citizens of Montgomery County Emergency Services District #8 for the past 20 years.

He began his fire service career in 1988 with the Pecan Grove Volunteer Fire Department as a junior firefighter. In the summer of 1991, he moved to the Conroe area, where he joined the Needham Fire Department and served as a firefighter up to the rank of Lieutenant. In May 1998, he was hired by the former South Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department as a part-time paid firefighter. In 2000, he was hired as one of the first three full-time firefighters and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Chief Butler was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2004.

On April 1, 2009, the ESD took over the operations of the fire department, and at the rank of Captain, he was made the Shift Commander, overseeing the B shift. In September 2011, Chief Butler was promoted to his current rank of Battalion Chief, where he currently serves as the District 1 Battalion Chief on the B shift.

Chief Curtis Pratt joined South Montgomery County Fire Department in September 2009 as a firefighter. In 2010, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and in 2017, he was promoted to Battalion Chief. He currently is Battalion 1 on the C Shift.

Before his service at South Montgomery County Fire Department, Chief Pratt had a 31-year career with the Houston Fire Department.

He attended Sam Houston High School and Houston Community College, and he’s certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection as a Driver-Operator, Fire Officer IV, Instructor II, Incident Safety Officer, and Wildland Firefighter. He’s also certified as an EMT Basic.

Chief Mike Covington began his fire service career as a volunteer fireman in 1995 with the North Montgomery County Fire Department. In 1998, he moved to become a volunteer with the Montgomery Fire Department, and in 2000, he became a full-time fireman with them. Chief Covington moved through the ranks of volunteer fireman, full-time Lieutenant, and Captain and Battalion Chief, and he was on the Apparatus Committee for 10 years.

In 2013, he moved to work full-time with the South Montgomery County Fire Department as a career Lieutenant. He has since been promoted to an A Shift Battalion Chief.

Chief Covington has worked part-time for North Montgomery County, Navasota, Lake Conroe, and Caney Creek Fire Departments. He held the rank of training officer in North Montgomery County, where he assisted in the development of the training program. Chief Covington holds Advanced Structure Firefighter, Intermediate Wildland Firefighter, Instructor II, Driver Operator, Fire Officer IV and Incident Safety Officer certifications through the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.