Galesburg Fire Chief Tom Simkins announced he intends to retire, effective October 25, 2019, after leading the Galesburg Fire Department for the last 10 years. He began his career with the City of Galesburg in 1985 and has served as a Firefighter/EMT, Fire Captain, Battalion Chief, and Operations Chief of the Galesburg Fire Department. In addition, Chief Simkins has held the role of Knox County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator since 2009.
“Chief Simkins has done an outstanding job overseeing the Fire Department,” said City Manager Todd Thompson. “He is a proficient leader who brings out the best in his team, is dedicated to the community, and fosters a culture of teamwork and camaraderie that has been a real asset to the Fire Department and the City of Galesburg.”
Throughout his career, Chief Simkins has been very proud of the character of the fire department and has instilled in his team to treat everyone with respect. Fire Department personnel have been involved with many community projects, such as Fill the Boot, rescuing Santa to kick off the Christmas parade, and ringing bells for the Salvation Army, while never failing to quickly respond to thousands of emergencies each year. Perhaps most importantly as Chief, his firefighters were sent home safely at the end of their 24-hour shift, each and every day.
“I am extremely grateful to the City of Galesburg for having allowed me the honor and privilege of serving our wonderful citizens as Fire Chief. It is with an overwhelming sense of pride that I exit the best job in town, knowing full well that every emergency in the community and surrounding Fire Protection Districts will continue to be handled with the utmost expediency and professionalism by a dedicated team of caring and competent firefighters,” said Chief Simkins. “The journey has truly been the destination for me, and I am thankful for the great fortune of having met so many fabulous and fun folks along the way.”
Battalion Chief Brad Stevenson will serve as the interim Fire Chief, while the City undertakes a competitive nationwide search to fill the role. Battalion Chief Stevenson has served with the Galesburg Fire Department for 30 years. He has been 2nd in Command since 2009 and is the Team Leader of the Hazardous Materials Response Team. During his career, he has held the ranks of Firefighter, Captain, and Battalion Chief, as well as being the department’s training officer for many years.
The City intends to accept resumes for Fire Chief from Friday, September 13 through Friday, October 4, 2019. A comprehensive search, similar to the recent campaign to fill the role of Police Chief, will be conducted.
As part of the search process, a community survey has been
created for community members to share their thoughts and priorities on the
next Fire Chief, which can be accessed at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFDCHIEF. The survey will be open for responses until
October 4, 2019 and all citizens are encouraged to participate.
