The Detroit Fire Department is run by Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms, a 38-year veteran of DFD
Eight Chiefs oversee divisions within DFD, each leading their own team focused on protecting and serving those who live, work, and play in Detroit
This group has a combined 225 years of experience serving the citizens of Detroit
Under the leadership of Executive Commissioner Chuck Simms and his team of 2nd Deputy Commissioners, the Chiefs of the Detroit Fire Department are working hard behind the scenes to ensure the health and safety of all who live, work, and play in Detroit. Each Chief fills a necessary role in the department and have helped reduce the number of fires in the City of Detroit by more than 25% year to date. Fire fatalities are also down significantly thanks to their dedication and hard work, which results in the Detroit Fire Department providing some of the best fire and medical service in the country.
Pictured from left to right: Chief Sean Larkins, Superintendent of EMS, Chief Dennis Richardson, Fire Investigation Division, Chief Damon Robinson, Plans & Exams, Chief Dennis Hunter, Fire Prevention Division, Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms, Chief of Fire Operations, David Nelson, Chief James Harris, Community Relations Division, Chief Shawn Pittman, Communications Division, Chief Alfie Green, Training Division.
Chief of Fire Operations, David Nelson, has been a member of the Detroit Fire Department for 33 years and is the highest-ranking uniformed officer of the department. Chief Nelson along with his Deputy Chief, Daniel Clapp, oversees daily fire operations and collaborates with all divisions of the department to ensure the highest level of service is delivered to Detroit’s residents and visitors. Chief Nelson’s staff is responsible for training, staffing and compliance of the more than 1200 members of the fire department. Nelson notes his biggest accomplishment is working to bring the various divisions within the department together to protect and serve our residents more effectively and efficiently.
Chief Sean Larkins, Superintendent of EMS, oversees Emergency Medical Services for the City of Detroit. He’s been in this position for nearly 11 years and serving the citizens of Detroit for 29 years. Larkins oversees the City of Detroit’s ambulance deployment and response to emergencies. He and his team ensure Detroit residents and visitors have quality, professional, and compassionate pre-hospital emergency medical care. The team also works with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to ensure the care provided meets or exceeds state standards. Larkins and his team played an integral role in bringing response times for Code 1 medical runs below the national average for the first time in recent history.
Chief of Fire Prevention, Dennis Hunter, has been with the Detroit Fire Department for 25 years, and has served in this role for the past ten years, overseeing fire prevention efforts across the board for the Detroit Fire Department. His team of 25 inspectors work to ensure all building owners comply with city fire codes and ordinances. On any given day, the team inspects approximately 80 buildings citywide. These annual inspections are key to keeping those who live, work, and play in Detroit safe. The Fire Prevention Division also responds to hazardous materials incidents, fire safety complaints, and ensures gatherings do not exceed the allowed capacity. Hunter and his team are responsible for inspecting and providing permits for fireworks displays, large-scale events and food trucks. In this role, Hunter has implemented a system which has greatly reduced the number of false alarms in the City of Detroit by collecting and acting on data gathered by the team. Chief Hunter and the Fire Prevention Division operates under the leadership of Detroit’s Fire Marshal, Don Thomas.
Chief of the Communications Division, Shawn Pittman, has been with the Detroit Fire Department for 25 years. He oversees a team of approximately 25 fire dispatchers who dispatch fire apparatus and ambulances to residents in need of assistance citywide, ensuring the residents and visitors of Detroit receive the best service possible in a timely manner to save lives and protect property. This team of highly trained medical professionals have played an important role in Detroit’s historic low response times to Code 1 medical runs.
Chief of the Training Division, Alfie Green, has been with the Detroit Fire Department for 33 years, and has served in this capacity for more than eight years. As Chief of Training, he oversees the overall training plan for the more than 1200 members of the Detroit Fire Department. This includes not just initial training, but continuing education and any remedial training that is required. He oversees fire training, paramedic, emergency medical technician and medical first responder training, as well as hazardous materials, airport fire and rescue, vehicle rescue and education training. Green and the Training Division play a key role in Detroit’s HEARTSafe Community initiative by offering CPR training to residents at the Regional Training Center Mondays and Fridays and hosting trainings out in the community for large groups who request it. Green is excited to say the Regional Training Center is now truly regional, with departments across the area gathering to train and share important knowledge with one another.
Chief of the Fire Investigation Division, Dennis Richardson, has been with the Detroit Fire Department for 28 years. He oversees a team of 16 fire investigators within the Detroit Fire Department to determine the origin and cause of fires in the City of Detroit. Richardson and his team use tools such as portable x-ray machines, 360-degree cameras, 3-D cameras, two accelerant canines, and other traditional resources to investigate fires. The Fire Investigation Division works with the Detroit Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Michigan State Police, and external partners in this important work. Once a fire is determined to have been an arson, it’s the responsibility of the task force to locate and prosecute the arsonist responsible. The Fire Investigations Division also plays a key role in the city’s community risk reduction by using data collected through investigation of accidental fires to ensure residents are educated about fire prevention related once they note a pattern of specific causes.
Chief of Plans and Exams, Damon Robinson, has been with the Detroit Fire Department for 25 years. He oversees all plan reviews for new construction and renovation projects in the City of Detroit. His team of four work together to ensure new buildings and renovation project plans are safe and meet or exceed fire safety standards. Once a building or renovation project plan is submitted to the city for approval, it’s the responsibility of the Plans and Exams Division to review it and ensure compliance. If a plan doesn’t meet the safety requirements, the team will guide building owners through the process of creating a revised design to ensure the safety of those who live, work, and play in Detroit. The Plans and Exams Division works under the leadership of Fire Marshal, Don Thomas.
Chief of the Community Relations Division, James Harris, has been with the Detroit Fire Department for 27 years. He oversees a highly motivated team of three who lead community engagement and public education throughout the City of Detroit. The team is busy at work daily in the community; you will see them at workshops, schools, public events, block club gatherings and community meetings. They are leading the work to train every 8th grader in the city on Hands-only CPR, host car seat safety checks and residential fire safety and escape plans for residents. Harris and his team host Detroit’s Fire Prevention Week events and lead the Detroit Fire Department’s work in the citywide Halloween in the D activities. The Community Relations Division is also overseeing the Detroit Smoke Alarm Program (DSAP), through which the Detroit Fire Department aims to install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in approximately 1500 homes across the City of Detroit.
