The City of Piqua is proud to announce that Lee Adams has been sworn in as chief of the Piqua Fire Department this week.
The City of Piqua Civil Service Commission confirmed Adams’ appointment at its meeting on Tuesday, March 26. Piqua City Manager Paul Oberdorfer swore in Chief Adams at the Piqua City Commission special meeting on Thursday, March 28.
“It’s certainly an honor to be able to serve in this role, leading our department as we provide critical services to our community,” Chief Adams said. “I am looking forward to working with the men and women of the Piqua Fire Department as the organization continues to grow and approaches 150 years of continuous service to the community.”
The Piqua Civil Service Commission has been reviewing candidates for the role since the retirement of former Chief Brent Pohlschneider in December 2023. Adams has served as interim chief of the 33-member department since February.
Chief Adams has 22 years of experience in firefighting and emergency medical services, 18 of which have been with the City of Piqua. He has served as assistant fire chief since 2016. He is a lifelong resident of the Piqua area and resides with his wife, Melissa.
“Chief Adams’ dedicated service to our community and resolve in his duties make him the ideal choice to serve as our next fire chief,” Piqua City Manager Paul Oberdorfer said. “We know that Chief Adams will lead the department with integrity and be an invaluable member of our leadership team.”
The process of choosing a new fire chief is governed by rules and regulations established by the Civil Service Commission and is administered by human resources director.
The City of Piqua’s established procedure includes consideration of internal candidates utilizing a thorough panel interview process. Civil Service Commission appointed the panel to conduct the candidate interview. The panel of five included two community members, the human resources director, the city manager and the safety services director. The successful candidate was placed on an Eligibility List and certified by the Civil Service Commission.
For more information about the Piqua Fire Department or the Civil Service Commission, visit piquaoh.gov.
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Photo: Piqua Fire Department Chief Lee Adams is sworn in by City Manager Paul Oberdorfer at the Piqua City Commission meeting on Thursday evening