PIKESVILLE, Md. — Retirement from the fire service did not mean retirement from public service for Fire Safety Inspector Shirley Millette.
That dedication has earned her a nomination for the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s 2025 Civilian of the Year Award. Millette is one of five civilian employees nominated. The recipient will be announced June 22 at the Maryland State Firefighters Convention in Ocean City.
Millette has served in the Southern Regional Office since 2017, which serves Calvert County, Charles County, and St. Mary’s County. As a fire safety inspector, she helps protect Marylanders by inspecting buildings for fire and life safety hazards, ensuring compliance with state fire codes, and educating property owners on fire prevention.
For the former firefighter who has lived in Calvert County for nearly 30 years, retirement from the fire service did not mean stepping away from public safety. Her commitment to that mission is reflected in her work. In 2025, she completed 1,361 inspections, more than any other employee in the agency. This was not a coincidence. She has completed more than 1,000 inspections annually over the past five years.
But the numbers tell only part of her story.
Before joining the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Millette served in the U.S. Navy from 1981 to 1985 before beginning a 30-year career in the federal fire service. She began at Naval Air Station Bermuda and advanced through the ranks at Naval District Washington in Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County, becoming a lieutenant and captain. By retirement, she had built a reputation as a leader and trailblazer within the federal fire service.
“I was the first woman to have advanced within the ranks at Naval District Washington,” Millette said. “Luckily, women advancing is not even noteworthy these days, although the ranks are still outnumbered.”
Today, her commitment to service extends beyond her role with the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Millette remains a licensed paramedic and volunteers in Calvert County and surrounding jurisdictions. She also teaches CPR and advanced life support courses as a certified instructor. Away from work, she spends time with her family, especially her four grandchildren. She and her husband enjoy traveling, camping and riding motorcycles.
“I feel honored to be nominated,” Millette said. “I do my work and get it done. I’m looking to represent the South Region well.”