New Chicago Fire Commissioner Approved by City Council

Robert S. Hoff, a 33-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, is set to become the city’s Fire Commissioner after the City Council unanimously approved his appointment today. Hoff replaces the retiring John Brooks and was appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley last week.

Hoff, the department’s first deputy commissioner since 2008, is a third generation firefighter with a laudatory history.

Hoff is one of the most decorated firefighters in department history and is one of a handful of firefighters to win the department’s highest award for bravery—the Carter Harrison Award—two times. In 1984, he suffered severe burns from an attic collapse and spent 21 days in the burn unit.

“As we all know, bravery never goes out of fashion,” said Alderman Burke (14th) as he spoke in favor of the nomination.

Hoff is a third generation fire fighter whose father, battalion chief Thomas Hoff, died at age 44 in the line of duty on February 14, 1962, during a building collapse. His grandfather and brother also were Chicago firefighters.

Hoff has served as a University of Illinois field staff instructor since 1988, and has extensive training in structural collapse, fire safety and Haz-Mat response. He served as the Incident Commander for the fire department’s deployment to New York post-9/11 and to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina.

Prior to serving as a fire fighter, Hoff served as an Emergency Medical Technician. He and his wife, Joyce, live on the Southwest Side. He has two children and five grandchildren.

View a video of the announcement here.