As of June 2026, the Oklahoma City Fire Chief position is vacant and the city is running a national search to fill it. The job is the chief executive role over the Oklahoma City Fire Department, appointed by the City Manager and responsible for leading more than 1,000 personnel across 38 stations.1City of Oklahoma City. Fire Chief Recruitment Brochure
Who Has Led the Department Recently
Richard Kelley served as chief from September 2017 through late 2024, one of the longer stable tenures in the department’s recent history. Kelley joined the department in 1991 and worked his way up over more than two decades before his appointment.
Marc Hinds stepped into the role after Kelley’s departure. Hinds had been with the department for 27 years, having joined in 1997.
The city is now recruiting a permanent chief on a national basis. The posting opened in June 2026 and remains open until the position is filled.1City of Oklahoma City. Fire Chief Recruitment Brochure
How the Fire Chief Is Appointed
Oklahoma City uses a council-manager form of government. The Mayor and City Council set broad policy, but administration runs through the City Manager’s office. The Fire Chief is appointed by the City Manager and reports up that chain, not directly to elected officials.1City of Oklahoma City. Fire Chief Recruitment Brochure The structure is meant to keep the role grounded in professional qualifications rather than electoral politics.
Performance is evaluated against operational metrics like response times, budget management, and progress on strategic goals. The City Manager also oversees the police department and other city functions, so the fire chief sits inside a broader executive team.
What the Job Involves
The chief’s work splits into two halves: running emergency operations across a city of more than 600 square miles, and managing the administrative machinery behind those operations. On the operations side, the chief holds final command authority during major incidents and coordinates with other city agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, and state resources when a call escalates.
Most daily work is administrative. The department’s adopted budget for fiscal year 2026 is $232,504,042, covering payroll, equipment maintenance, station construction, and specialized apparatus.2City of Oklahoma City. Fire Department Budget
The chief drafts and implements policies that must comply with state labor law and the department’s collective bargaining agreement with International Association of Firefighters Local 157. Those policies cover safety procedures on active scenes, internal discipline, and promotional standards. The chief does not negotiate the union contract alone but shapes the city’s position on staffing and working conditions.
What the Chief Runs
The department operates through a strict chain of command. Deputy chiefs each oversee a major division under the chief. Operations is the largest, with 877 uniformed firefighters handling suppression and rescue calls across 38 stations.3City of Oklahoma City. Fire The Prevention division handles fire code enforcement and arson investigations. EMS runs as its own branch so paramedics and emergency medical responders receive specialized oversight.
Battalion chiefs manage clusters of stations and report up to division leaders. The department also maintains dedicated hazardous materials and technical rescue units, each with their own training pipelines and equipment budgets.
The department holds a Class 1 ISO rating, the highest classification awarded by the Insurance Services Office for fire protection capability. The rating evaluates water supply, dispatch systems, staffing, and training hours, and it translates into lower property insurance premiums for residents and businesses in the service area.