List of heads of the Chicago Fire Department

Last updated

Head of the Chicago Fire Department
Incumbent
Annette Nance Holt
since 2021
Inaugural holderHirman Hugunin (as "Chief Engineer")
Formation1835 (as "Chief Engineer")

The following is a list of heads of the Chicago Fire Department in Chicago, Illinois United States. This includes heads of the original iteration of Chicago's fire department, a volunteer force which preceded the establishment of the current, professional, fire department in 1858.

Contents

Currently the executive of the Chicago Fire Department is referred to as the "fire commissioner". [1] Before this, the head of the department was known as the "chief engineer".

The current head, holding the position of "fire commissioner", is Annette Nance Holt, appointed by mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2021. [1]

History

Currently, the head of the Chicago Fire Department is appointed by the mayor of Chicago, and confirmed by the Chicago City Council.

Originally, the leader of the Chicago Fire Department was known as chief engineer. This position was created by an ordinance passed by the then-village of Chicago's board of trustees in November 1835. In December 1835, Chicago's board of trustees appointed its president Hirman Hugunin to be the inaugural occupant of this position. [2] [3] In 1837, when Chicago was incorporated as a city, its charter had the position be one which was elected annually by the city's voters. If an election saw no candidates, thus failing to produce an occupant of the office, the Chicago Common Council (as the Chicago City Council was known as the time) would appoint one. [3] This position originally oversaw a volunteer fire department, until the modern iteration of the Chicago Fire Department was established by city ordinance on August 2, 1858. [3]

In 1927, the title of chief engineer was replaced with the new title of fire commissioner. [3]

List of heads of the Chicago Fire Department

Chief Engineers (1835–1927)

NameTenure startTenure endMayor(s) served underNotesRef
Hirman HuguninDecember 1835February 17, 1836N/A A [3]
George E. SnowFebruary 17, 1836February 1837N/A A [3]
John M. TurnerFebruary 18371839 William B. Ogden
Buckner S. Morris
[3]
Alexander Loyd 18391839 Benjamin Wright Raymond [3]
Alvin Calhoun18391840 Benjamin Wright Raymond [3]
Luther Nichols18401841 Alexander Loyd [3]
A.S. Sherman18411844 Francis C. Sherman
Benjamin Wright Raymond
Augustus Garrett
[3]
Stephen F. Gale18441847 Alson Sherman
Augustus Garrett
John P. Chapin
[3]
Charles E. Peck (acting)18471849 James Curtiss
James H. Woodworth
[3]
Ashley Gilbert18491850 James H. Woodworth [3]
Cyrus P. Bradley18501851 James Curtiss [3]
18511852 Walter S. Gurnee
U.P. Harris18521854 Walter S. Gurnee
Charles McNeill Gray
[3]
Cyrus P. Bradley18541855 Isaac L. Milliken [3]
Silas McBride18551857 Levi Boone
Thomas Dyer
[3]
Dennis J. Swenie1858March 1859 John Wentworth [3] [4]
Dennis J. SwenieNovember 10, 1879June 1, 1909 Carter Harrison Sr.
John A. Roche
DeWitt C. Cregier
Hempstead Washburne
Carter Harrison Sr.
George Bell Swift (interim)
John P. Hopkins
George Bell Swift
Carter Harrison Jr.
[3]

Fire Commissioners (1927–present)

NameTenure startTenure endMayor(s) served underNotesRef
Albert Goodrich19271931 William Hale Thompson
Anton Cermak
[3] [5]
Edward A. Maloney (acting)1931August 15, 1931 Anton Cermak [6]
Daniel J. Carmody (acting)August 15, 1931September 1931 Anton Cermak Died in office [6] [7]
Michael J. Corrigan1937March 16, 1955 Edward Joseph Kelly
Martin H. Kennelly
[3] [8]
Anthony J. MullaneyApril 16, 19551957 Edward Joseph Kelly
Richard J. Daley
[9] [3] [10]
Robert J. QuinnMarch 19571978 Richard J. Daley
Michael Bilandic
[3]
Richard Albrecht1978August 1980 Michael Bilandic
Jane Byrne
[3]
Charles Pierce (acting)August 1980September 1980 Jane Byrne [3]
William R. BlairSeptember 1980August 1983 Jane Byrne
Harold Washington
[3]
Louis T. GalanteAugust 1983May 10, 1989 Harold Washington
David Orr (acting)
Eugene Sawyer
Richard M. Daley
[3]
Raymond E. OrozcoMay 10, 1989November 1996 Richard M. Daley [3] [11]
Edward P. Altman1996October 15, 1999 Richard M. Daley [12]
James JoyceDecember 15, 1999April 30, 2004 Richard M. Daley [3] [13]
Cortez Trotter20042006 Richard M. Daley [14] [15]
Raymond E. Orozco Jr.May 2006June 2010Richard M. Daley
Robert HoffJune 2010February 16, 2012 Richard M. Daley
Rahm Emanuel
[16]
Jose SantiagoApril 18, 2012August 31, 2018 Rahm Emanuel [17] [18] [19]
Richard C. Ford IISeptember 1, 2018April 2021 Rahm Emanuel
Lori Lightfoot
Served as acting commissioner from September 1, 2018 until being confirmed by the Chicago City Council to permanently hold the position on November 14, 2018 [18] [20] [21]
Annette Nance Holt2021incumbent Lori Lightfoot
Brandon Johnson
Initially performed as acting fire commissioner. Was confirmed as permanent fire commissioner by the Chicago City Council on June 23, 2021 [22] [23] [24]

Notes

^A Hirman Hugunin and George E Snow's tenures predate the incorporation of Chicago as a city. While no mayor was serving at the time they were High Constable, John H. Kinzie was Town President

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Medill</span> American newspaper editor, publisher, and politician (1823–1899)

Joseph Medill was a Canadian-American newspaper editor, publisher, and Republican Party politician. He was co-owner and managing editor of the Chicago Tribune, and he was Mayor of Chicago from after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 until 1873.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Byrne</span> American politician (1933–2014)

Jane Margaret Byrne was an American politician who served as the 50th mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979, until April 29, 1983. Prior to her tenure as mayor, Byrne served as Chicago's commissioner of consumer sales from 1969 until 1977, the only female in the mayoral cabinet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of New York City</span> Head of the executive branch of the government of New York City

The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Chicago</span> Elected chief executive of city government

The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and recommendations to the Chicago City Council, is active in the enforcement of the city's ordinances, submits the city's annual budget and appoints city officers, department commissioners or directors, and members of city boards and commissions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Fire Department</span> Fire department of the city of Chicago

The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) provides firefighting services along with emergency medical response services, hazardous materials mitigation services, and technical rescue response services in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department is the second-largest municipal fire department in the United States after the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). It is also one of the oldest major organized fire departments in the nation. It has numerous general purpose and specialized vehicles and equipment to accomplish its missions.

The New York City Fire Commissioner is the civilian administrator of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), appointed by the Mayor of the City of New York. There have been 34 commissioners excluding Acting Fire Commissioners, and 38 commissioners including Acting Fire Commissioners. This is since Manhattan and the Bronx consolidated with Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island to form The City of New York in 1898. The current Fire Commissioner is Laura Kavanagh, who had held the office since February 16, 2022 as interim Fire Commissioner, but on October 27, 2022, she was appointed as Fire Commissioner.

<i>Chicago Fire</i> (TV series) American drama television series

Chicago Fire is an American procedural drama television series created by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, with Dick Wolf as an executive producer. It is the first installment of Wolf Entertainment's Chicago franchise, which deals with different public services in Chicago, Illinois. The show follows the professional and personal lives of firefighters, rescue personnel, and paramedics of the Chicago Fire Department at the fictional Firehouse 51. The series premiered on NBC on October 10, 2012. As of May 15, 2024, the series has aired 251 episodes. In April 2023, the series was renewed for a twelfth season, which premiered on January 17, 2024. In March 2024, the series was renewed for a thirteenth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1989 Chicago mayoral special election</span>

The Chicago mayoral election of 1989 saw Democratic nominee Richard M. Daley win election to the remainder of an unexpired mayoral term with a 14% margin of victory. This marked a return for the Daley family to the office of mayor. Daley was elected over Alderman Timothy Evans, the nominee of the newly formed Harold Washington Party, and the Republican nominee Ed Vrdolyak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Department of Transportation</span>

The Chicago Department of Transportation is an executive department of the City of Chicago responsible for the safety, environmental sustainability, maintenance, and aesthetics of the surface transportation networks and public ways within the city. This includes the planning, design, construction, and management of streets, sidewalks, bridges, and alleys.

The Vulcan Society, founded in 1940, is a fraternal organization of black firefighters in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lori Lightfoot</span> 56th mayor of Chicago from 2019 to 2023

Lori Elaine Lightfoot is an American politician and attorney who was the 56th mayor of Chicago from 2019 until 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming mayor, Lightfoot worked in private legal practice as a partner at Mayer Brown and held various government positions in Chicago. She served as president of the Chicago Police Board and chair of the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force. In 2019, Lightfoot defeated Toni Preckwinkle in a runoff election for Chicago mayor. She ran again in 2023 but failed to qualify for the runoff, becoming the city's first incumbent mayor to not be reelected since Jane Byrne in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elmer Washburn</span>

Elmer Washburn was an American politician. He was the 3rd Director of the United States Secret Service from 1874 through 1876. Before serving as Director of the United States Secret Service, Washburn had headed the Chicago Police Department from 1872 through 1873. He would later run unsuccessfully for mayor of Chicago in 1891.

The Chicago Board of Education is led by a president. The current President of the Chicago Board of Education is Jianan Shi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Nolan</span> Chicago Police Department officer and first African-American superintendent

Samuel W. Nolan was an American police officer for the Chicago Police Department who served as the interim superintendent of the department briefly from April 25, 1979 or September 1, 1979 until January 11, 1980. Nolan was the first African American to serve in any capacity as head of the Chicago Police Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Shaw (Illinois politician)</span> American politician (1937–2021)

Robert Shaw was an American politician. He served as a City of Chicago Alderman in the 9th ward for four terms, first in 1979 through 1983 and again from 1987 until 1998. Shaw also served as commissioner on the Cook County Board of Review from 1998 until 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herman Bundesen</span> American politician

Herman Niels Bundesen was a German-American medical professional, politician, and author. He served two tenures as the chief health official of the city of Chicago, holding this role for more than 34 years in total. He also was elected Cook County coroner. In 1936, he ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party nomination for governor of Illinois.

Chicago Public Schools is headed by a chief executive officer (CEO) appointed by the mayor of Chicago. Currently serving as CEO is Pedro Martinez. This job is equivalent to a superintendent, and, before 1995, the occupant of this office was known as the "superintendent of Chicago Public Schools".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John E. Traeger</span> American politician

John Edward Traeger was an American politician who served as Cook County Sheriff, Cook County Coroner, and Chicago City Treasurer. He also served as Chicago city comptroller, Chicago city collector, Lake, Illinois city collector, and as a member of the Cook County Jury Commission.

References

  1. 1 2 "Fire - Leadership". www.chicago.gov. City of Chicago. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. "Meet "Chicago's Twins"". www.firehouse.com. 1 September 2005. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "HISTORY OF THE CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT" (PDF). chicago.gov. City of Chicago. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  4. "Chief Swenie". chicagology.com. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  5. "A.W. GOODRICH IS DEAD; EX-FIRE COMMISSIONER" . Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. 31 Mar 1938. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  6. 1 2 "DANIEL CARMODY APPOINTED HEAD OF FIRE DEPT" . Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. 16 Aug 1931. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  7. "Fire Commissioner of Chicago Dead". Fire Engineering. 1933-10-01. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  8. "CORRIGAN QUITS AND MULLANEY GETS HIS JOB" . Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. 16 Mar 1955. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  9. "NEW COMMISSIONER" . Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. 17 Mar 1955. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  10. "ANTHONY J. MULLANEY". The New York Times. 1960-11-29. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  11. Zielinski, Graeme (15 November 1996). "RETIRING CHIEF KEPT POLITICAL FIRE AT BAY". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  12. Almer, Ellen (15 October 1999). "Chicago Fire Commissioner Edward Altman resigned today..." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  13. Washburn, Gary (28 December 1999). "NEW FIRE CHIEF SHAKES UP DEPARTMENT". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  14. Washburn, Gary (2 April 2004). "Joyce exits; Daley taps 1st black chief". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  15. "Trotter Named Chief Emergency Officer, Orozco New Fire Commissioner for Chicago". GovTech. 2010-07-28. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  16. "Chicago Fire Commissioner Hoff Resigns". www.firehouse.com. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  17. Spielman, Fran (2018-08-12). "Chicago fire commissioner awaits his fate as he nears mandatory retirement age". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Mayor Emanuel Taps Richard Ford II As New Fire Commissioner". chicago.cbslocal.com. CBS Chicago (WBBM-TV). 2018-09-21. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  19. "CITY COUNCIL APPROVES JOSE SANTIAGO AS CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONER" (PDF). Office of the Mayor of the City of Chicago. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  20. "Will Chicago get its first Black female fire chief? | The Crusader Newspaper Group". Chicago Crusader. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  21. "CITY COUNCIL CONFIRMS MAYOR EMANUEL'S APPOINTMENT OF RICHARD FORD AS NEW FIRE COMMISSIONER" (PDF). Office of the Mayor of the City of Chicago. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  22. "Annette Nance-Holt Becomes First Black Woman to Lead Chicago Fire Department". NBC Chicago. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  23. "First Black female fire commissioner nominee awaits City Council approval | The Crusader Newspaper Group". Chicago Crusader. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  24. "Annette Nance-Holt becomes Chicago Fire Department Commissioner". Chicago Defender. 2021-05-15. Retrieved 14 June 2021.