GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Fire Chief John Shea Lehman has announced he will retire this spring.
The city of Grand Rapids says Chief Lehman joined the Grand Rapids Fire Department (GRFD) in 2016 after spending 29 years with the Aurora Fire Department in Illinois.
In that time, the city says Chief Lehman led GRFD to receive national recognition for its excellence in safety in 2016 and ISO Class 1 honors in 2018.
“The city has both benefited greatly from Chief Lehman’s hard work and dedication to the Grand Rapids Fire Department,” says City Manager Mark Washington. “He has elevated an already superb fire department to one that is nationally recognized and one that is used as a benchmark for all departments striving for excellence.”
We’re told Chief Lehman stepped up to implement a contactless method to provide working smoke alarms during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result of Chief Lehman’s endeavors to improve fire safety in the community, the department received the John H. Logie Neighborhood Business Champion Award, the city adds.
“I have been extremely lucky to have served the City of Grand Rapids and the men and women of the Grand Rapids Fire Department,” says Chief Lehman. “No one person changes the morale of an organization, but I have worked with an incredible team which has valued our employees’ opened lines of communication and allowed change to happen.”
Chief Lehman is scheduled to retire May 1, 2023 alongside Axel, GRFD’s fire dog.
