Cynthia S. Sears has served MDFR for more than 24 years. As one of the department's Assistant Fire Chiefs, she oversees all MDFR Operations and Special Operations activities. She manages and coordinates all areas of fire suppression; emergency medical services; airport protection; and specialty services such as air rescue, marine services, ocean rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, urban search and rescue, technical rescue, venom response, and motorcycle emergency response.

Assistant Chief Sears worked her way through the ranks of firefighter, lieutenant, and captain in the department's busiest battalions. She was the first female firefighter promoted to the rank of Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Division Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief.

Assistant Chief Sears holds a Master of Science degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership.  She completed the Executive Fire Officer's Program provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security Fire Administration National Academy.  She is also a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), a distinction she received from the International Association of Emergency Managers.  She is a State of Florida certified firefighter, paramedic, and Fire Service Instructor III.  Assistant Chief Sears is an adjunct instructor at Texas A&M University's National Emergency Rescue and Response Training Center (NERTTC).  She has been an active member of MDFR's Urban Search and Rescue Team, Florida Task Force 1 since the early 1990s.