JOHNNY MENIFEE, chief of the Southfield (MI) Fire Department (SFD), was selected as the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Great Lakes Division 2023 Chief of the Year. The IAFC Great Lakes Division represents the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Menifee has been the SFD’s chief since 2020 and is the first black chief as well as the first Southfield chief to be selected to preside over the IAFC. Menifee also serves as the president of the Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs and, in 2017, he was recognized with the Michigan Chronicle’s Men of Excellence Award.
STEFANO NAPOLITANO took over as the new chief of the Rochester (NY) Fire Department. Napolitano is a 38-year firefighting veteran who previously served for four years as chief of the Batavia (NY) Fire Department (BFD). He also served as deputy state fire administrator for the New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services Office of Fire Prevention and Control, where he also served as a fire instructor for more than 10 years. Prior to his work with the BFD, Napolitano served for more than 20 years with the Herkimer (NY) Fire Department, rising to the rank of deputy chief.
FRANK MCKINLEY will take over as the new chief of the Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department on October 9. McKinley is a 28-year veteran of Dallas (TX) Fire Rescue (DFR), where he was most recently assistant chief. In addition, he also serves as the DFR’s assistant chief of communications and administration. McKinley has a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in emergency and disaster management as well as a doctorate in education. He will succeed current interim chief Steven Breitfelder, who will return to serving as the CFD’s assistant chief.
WILLIAM “LOU” REED was appointed as the first-ever full-time chief of the Rincon (GA) Fire Department (RFD) on September 11. He had been serving as the RFD’s interim chief for the past 20 months. Reed began his career with the RFD in November 2011 and has served there as a firefighter/paramedic, an engineer, and a captain. He recently received a bachelor’s degree in fire administration and is working toward a master’s degree in public health administration. He succeeds previous RFD Chief Corey Rahn, who retired in December 2021 after 35 years at the helm.
GEORGE BURNS was sworn in as the new assistant chief of the Schenectady (NY) Fire Department (SFD) on September 12. Burns has served with the SFD for 26 years, beginning his stint with the agency in 1995. After a time out of the department, he returned in 1998 and rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant, captain, and finally a deputy chief. Burns said he wants to implement technology that will make the department more efficient in its daily reporting operation for firefighters on the front lines.
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Names in the News: September 3, 2023
