James Wamsley (Republican)

524 Winterhawk Dr
Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901-4595
Map It

I am a lifelong resident of Southwest Wyoming. I grew up in Green River, graduating with the GRHS Class of 1981. I worked in local industry for 25 years – 20 with Church & Dwight Co. For the last 21 years, I have served as a full-time fire chief: 9 years with Sweetwater County Fire District 1 and 11 years with the City of Rock Springs Fire Department.

I received a certificate in Industrial Maintenance and later an Associate of Applied Science in the same field through Western Wyoming Community College. Later on I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science Management from Kaplan University. Most recently I completed a Master of Public Administration from the University of Wyoming – Go Pokes!

I am married to my wife ALisa. We have five kids between us, and five grandkids. Three kids and three grandkids live here in Rock Springs. The other Grandkids live in Wisconsin with their parents; the other child lives in Seattle.

Church & Dwight Co. 1986 – 2006. Various departments. Served as Maintenance Supervisor for Baking Soda & Laundry Detergent Plants until leaving to become a full-time Fire Chief
Fire Chief 2006-2026: 9 yrs with Sweetwater County Fire District 1, 11+ years with Rock Springs Fire Department.

Sweetwater Combined Communications Board of Directors – 2010-present. 5 years as Chair; current Vice-Chair

Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport Board of Directors – 2013-present. Chair 2015-present

High School – Green River High School Class of 1981

Certificate in Industrial Maintenance -Western Wyoming Community College, 1995

Associate of Applied Science in Industrial Maintenance, Western Wyoming Community College, 2006

Bachelor of Science in Fire Science Management, Kaplan University, 2011

Executive Fire Officer, United States Fire Administration, 2012

Master of Public Administration, University of Wyoming, 2026

I am involved with several Masonic bodies. Rock Springs Lodge 12 and the Lander Valley of the Scottish Rite of Freemasons support the Free Childhood Language Clinic of Southwest Wyoming. I am a member of Rock Springs Lodge 12, the Lander Valley of the Scottish Rite, and the Korein Shriners.

I am running because I believe that the residents of House District 48 deserve someone who knows our values and culture, who understands the needs of our community - someone who listens to local input and doesn't get their orders from a think tank back east. I have lived through several boom-and-bust cycles in my time. I have watched many of our children go off for a better education and never return. I see downstream states taking more and more of our water - our very life force. I have too often seen the needs for mental health and suicide prevention go unmet. I see our access to medical care becoming increasingly scarce. I have witnessed opportunities go elsewhere - both here in Sweetwater County and at the state level.
I am running because it's time our legislature put their collective heads together and worked towards opportunities and growth for our state. We cannot continue to do what we've always done and expect a different answer.
I am running because we need collaboration, cooperation, consideration, and ingenuity to provide opportunities for the next generation of Wyoming kids.
I am running because our citizens deserve a legislature that operates with respect and civility towards each other - a group that understands that Wyoming people working together can solve Wyoming problems.

Preserve our Water - it is literally our life force. We need to be proactive in securing our water and in developing infrastructure to put it to work.

Promote access to mental health and engage in suicide prevention. Let's move the needle and change the statistic - we've lost enough of our own.

Ensure access to healthcare. Wyoming is quickly becoming a healthcare desert. We can work together to imagine a new way to access healthcare through community paramedicine, mobile-integrated healthcare, and telemedicine. Just like the house call in days gone by, access to healthcare doesn't have to mean a trip to the clinic. Let's meet people where their needs are.