District 1 Councilmember
David “Hutch” Hutcheson (term Jan 2025-2029)
info provided by VBgov.com
- Councilmember David Hutcheson began serving as District 1 representative in January 2024. After 35 years of dedicated public service, he retired on Dec. 31, 2022, from the Virginia Beach Fire Department (VBFD). He started as a volunteer with the Kempsville Fire Station #9 before joining VBFD in August 1988.
- Progressing through the ranks, his positions include 17 years in various fire station assignments, captain of fire administration, chief public information officer, district chief of the North Division and deputy chief of operations. Following the promotion of then Fire Chief Steven Cover to deputy city manager, Hutcheson was appointed interim fire chief on Nov. 7, 2016, and later appointed the fifth fire chief for the City of Virginia Beach on June 8, 2017.
- During his time as chief, Hutcheson was instrumental in forging the mutual aid agreement with Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek/Fort Story for cohabitation of both military and civilian firefighters on a U.S. military base; the completion of four-person staffing on all single engine companies; developing the Surface Rescue Swimmers Program; orchestrating the addition of the 5th Battalion to increase operational readiness and service delivery, as well as adding a shift commander for all three shifts; and opened the new Burton Fire Station #22.
- Two very important initiatives he is most proud of are the appointment of the first LGBTQ liaison officer for the department and the region, as well as the implementation of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee for VBFD.
- Hutcheson is an original member of the Virginia Task Force 2 Urban Search & Rescue Team (VA-TF2) and previously served as the sponsor agency chief for the team. As a member of VA-TF2, he was deployed to many complex disaster situations, including the Oklahoma City bombing, numerous hurricane deployments, and the Haiti earthquake. He is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association, where he previously served on the executive board as the president. He co-chairs the Virginia Fire Rescue Conference and has been a long-term volunteer for the Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team (NEST).
- His family started Greenbrier Florist in 1977. David’s oldest son is Master Firefighter in VBFD and his youngest son is a Navy Helicopter Pilot teaching flight school in Pensacola. David’s wife of 32 years, Amy, has worked as a mental health crisis counselor for over 30 years.