The City of Lawrence will conduct a nationwide search for the next chief of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical.
In the meantime, Joe Hardy will be serving as acting chief of LDCFM.
The city will also seek an interim chief to fill the role until the next chief is hired. The city expects to fill the interim role within the next 60 days, according to a news release on Thursday.
For the next permanent chief, “Work is already underway to identify a recruitment firm that can assist with the search. The City expects this process to take six to nine months,” according to the release.
The new position of deputy chief was approved as part of the city’s 2025 budget. Tyler Wade will serve as acting deputy chief.
“Appointing someone in this Acting Deputy Chief role will meet our immediate needs while also allowing for the new Chief to hire this key position once they begin,” according to the release.
Chief Rich Llewellyn left his position for a move out of state to be closer to family. His last day was Dec. 6.
Llewellyn took the reins from Tom Fagan, who had served as interim chief of LDCFM since former chief Shaun Coffey’s retirement at the end of 2021.
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Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
