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.
Currently the executive of the Chicago Fire Department is referred to as the "fire commissioner". Before this, the head of the department was known as the "chief engineer", and later as the "fire marshal" (or "Fire Marshal and Chief of Brigade").
The current head, holding the position of "fire commissioner", is Annette Nance Holt, appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2021.
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. 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. 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.
By the early twentieth century the department head was styled fire marshal (or Fire Marshal and Chief of Brigade). In 1927 that title was replaced with fire commissioner.
List of heads of the Chicago Fire Department
Chief engineers and fire marshals (1835–1927)
NameTenure startTenure endMayor(s) served underNotesRef Hirman Hugunin December 1835 February 17, 1836 N/A George E. Snow February 17, 1836 February 1837 N/A John M. Turner February 1837 1839 William B. OgdenBuckner S. Morris Alexander Loyd 1839 1839 Benjamin Wright Raymond Alvin Calhoun 1839 1840 Benjamin Wright Raymond Luther Nichols 1840 1841 Alexander Loyd A.S. Sherman 1841 1844 Francis C. ShermanBenjamin Wright RaymondAugustus Garrett Stephen F. Gale 1844 1847 Alson ShermanAugustus GarrettJohn P. Chapin Charles E. Peck (acting) 1847 1849 James CurtissJames H. Woodworth Ashley Gilbert 1849 1850 James H. Woodworth Cyrus Parker Bradley 1850 1851 James Curtiss 1851 1852 Walter S. Gurnee U.P. Harris 1852 1854 Walter S. GurneeCharles McNeill Gray Cyrus Parker Bradley 1854 1855 Isaac L. Milliken Silas McBride 1855 1857 Levi BooneThomas Dyer Dennis J. Swenie 1858 March 1859 John Wentworth Matthais Benner 1879 Dennis J. Swenie November 10, 1879 February 16, 1903 Carter Harrison IIIJohn A. RocheDeWitt C. CregierHempstead WashburneCarter Harrison IIIGeorge Bell Swift (interim)John P. HopkinsGeorge Bell SwiftCarter Harrison Jr. William H. Musham 1901 October 1904 Carter Harrison Jr. Fire marshal; resigned John Campion October 1904 1906 Carter Harrison Jr.Edward Dunne Fire marshal James J. Horan 1906 December 22, 1910 Edward DunneFred Busse Fire Marshal and Chief of Brigade; killed at the Chicago Union Stock Yards fire (1910) Charles Seyferlich December 1910 Fred Busse Fire marshal; succeeded Horan after the Stock Yards fire Fire Commissioners (1927–present) NameTenure startTenure endMayor(s) served underNotesRef Albert Goodrich 1927 1931 William Hale ThompsonAnton Cermak Edward A. Maloney (acting) 1931 August 15, 1931 Anton Cermak Daniel J. Carmody (acting) August 15, 1931 September 1931 Anton Cermak Died in office Michael J. Corrigan 1937 March 16, 1955 Edward Joseph KellyMartin H. Kennelly Anthony J. Mullaney April 16, 1955 1957 Edward Joseph KellyRichard J. Daley Robert J. Quinn March 1957 1978 Richard J. DaleyMichael Bilandic Richard Albrecht 1978 August 1980 Michael BilandicJane Byrne Charles Pierce (acting) August 1980 September 1980 Jane Byrne William R. Blair September 1980 August 1983 Jane ByrneHarold Washington Louis T. Galante August 1983 May 10, 1989 Harold WashingtonDavid Orr (acting)Eugene SawyerRichard M. Daley Raymond E. Orozco May 10, 1989 November 1996 Richard M. Daley Edward P. Altman 1996 October 15, 1999 Richard M. Daley James Joyce December 15, 1999 April 30, 2004 Richard M. Daley Cortez Trotter 2004 2006 Richard M. Daley Raymond E. Orozco Jr. May 2006 June 2010 Richard M. Daley Robert Hoff June 2010 February 16, 2012 Richard M. DaleyRahm Emanuel Jose Santiago April 18, 2012 August 31, 2018 Rahm Emanuel Richard C. Ford II September 1, 2018 April 2021 Rahm EmanuelLori 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 Annette Nance Holt 2021 incumbent Lori LightfootBrandon Johnson Initially performed as acting fire commissioner. Was confirmed as permanent fire commissioner by the Chicago City Council on June 23, 2021
Notes 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 List of heads of the Chicago Police Department Fire chief
References