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City of Grand Rapids appoints new fire chief

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Chief John Lehman. Courtesy photo.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — There’s a new fire chief in town.

The City of Grand Rapids has appointed John Lehman to take over as the city’s next fire chief. He was chosen after a five-month recruitment process following the retirement of former Chief Laura Knapp.

Lehman recently just retired as the fire chief from Aurora, Illinios – a city comparable in size and population diversity to Grand Rapids. He has 32 years of fire experience on his resume.

Lehman says he plans to enhance the Grand Rapids Fire Department’s community education efforts, which includes teaching fire safety to older adults and their caregivers; providing bilingual fire education; and focusing on the importance of carbon monoxide safety.