Brian Scott '05

After 17 years of service at the Evanston Fire Department, alumnus Brian Scott ’05 was recently appointed as the Evanston Fire Chief.

 “I am very honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead such an excellent department comprised of such dedicated and professional men and women,” says Brian. “I certainly hope to continue the great work and momentum we have established over the years while meeting the expectations of the community at all levels.”

Throughout his career he has served in a variety of leadership roles including, past President of the Evanston Firefighters Association, Rescue Dive Team Member as well as multiple department committees. He is currently a field instructor for the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Urbana-Champaign and is also pursuing his Chief Fire Officer Certification through the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.

“My role model has always been my father, who instilled a strong work ethic and toughness, along with a commitment to family and personal integrity,” says Brian. “But my love of the fire service began with visiting and riding with my Uncle Ed Wolf and Engine Company 4 with the Chicago Fire Department.”

It was there that he learned about a tremendous vocation that was physically demanding, team-orientated and most importantly made a real difference in people’s lives. 

“To this day, the ability to help others and serve a community is what motivates me every day,” he adds. 

He began his career with the Evanston Fire Department as a firefighter/paramedic in 1999. In 2006, he was promoted to captain/paramedic and then became the division chief of operations in 2014. Brian was promoted to the position of deputy chief of operations and training in 2015, in which he directed and led fire suppression operations and training as well as managed the fire department’s fire prevention bureau. 

The Evanston Fire Department maintains a full-time professional staff of 110 members. As Fire Chief, Brian is responsible for directly supervising and directing all efforts to provide superior fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, public education, technical rescue and non-emergency and support services.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University and various fire training certificates from the Illinois State Fire Marshall and the Illinois Fire Service Institute. He then went on to graduate with a master’s degree in Public Safety Administration from Lewis University.

“The Public Safety Administration program provided me with a primer of essential knowledge and skills that better prepared me to handle the administrative challenges of a professional and progressive fire department,” Brian says confidently. 

With his new position, Brian looks forward to having a more significant impact on the community he serves. “As Fire Chief, I am dedicated to do my best in service to the city of Evanston,” he adds.   

Brian resides in Riverside with his beautiful wife Amy and their three children: Keenan, Ethan, and Allison. In his spare time, he enjoys supporting his kid’s at their sports games, teaching, and running. 

March 2017

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