Fire Chief

Chicago Mayor Shifts Emergency Leaders

Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Fire Commissioner Raymond Orozco as executive director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications and promoted First Deputy Fire Commissioner John W. Brooks to be the new Fire Commissioner.

Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley appointed fire commissioner Raymond Orozco as executive director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications and promoted first deputy fire commissioner John W. Brooks to be the new fire commissioner.

Orozco has served as Fire Commissioner since March 2006 and is a 29-year veteran of the department. OEMC operates the city’s public safety communications system and coordinates and manages emergency situations. Brooks joined the department in 1980 and became first deputy commissioner in July 2006.

"Any time there's a major incident, Ray is in charge," Daley told the Sun Times. "The fire department is in charge. He's done a tremendous job in the fire department, so I really wanted to move him over to OEMC because first responders are usually the fire department. ... You have to have someone who understands the fire and police departments in that position."

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In my experience leadership in fire departments are scared to initiate true succession planning as they feel threatened by the knowledge being imparted to the future leaders. 

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