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)

Alexander Loyd Alexander Loyd.jpg
Alexander Loyd
Dennis J. Swenie Dennis J. Swenie Chicago fire chief circa 1895.jpg
Dennis J. Swenie
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. Swenie 1858March 1859 John Wentworth [3] [4]
Dennis J. Swenie November 10, 1879June 1, 1909 Carter Harrison III
John A. Roche
DeWitt C. Cregier
Hempstead Washburne
Carter Harrison III
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

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