City to conduct search for new Fire Commissioner as Mayor says department is ready for a new direction

City to conduct search for new Fire Commissioner as Mayor says department is ready for a new direction

• Commissioner Eric Jones' last day to be January 14; has led DFD since 2015
• Interim Commissioner to be named next week

DETROIT - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan today said his team will begin a national search for a new Executive Fire Commissioner, while announcing that the Fire Department is ready for a new direction in leadership. Current Fire Commissioner Eric Jones' last day will be Friday, January 14th.  He has served as Fire Commissioner since October 2015.

Jones, who retired from the Detroit Police Department in 2013 as Assistant Chief, was hired by Duggan in 2014 as director of the Department of Building Safety, Engineering & Environmental Department (BSEED).  A year later, Duggan named him Executive Fire Commissioner to replace retiring Edsel Jenkins. During his tenure, the fire department has overhauled its once-aged fleet, reduced EMS response time from nearly 20 minutes for priority runs to the national average of 8 minutes and significantly improved the city's ISO rating for fire preparedness, which affects homeowner insurance rates in the city. 

"Eric has given more than three decades serving and protecting the citizens of Detroit and I thank him for his service," Duggan said. "I wish him well."

Mayor Duggan said in the next several days he will interview DFD candidates to serve as interim Fire Commissioner as his team conducts a national search for a permanent replacement. The Mayor said the interim Commissioner will be named by Jones' last day with the department. 

Duggan said he hopes to have a permanent fire commissioner chosen by mid-year.