LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Fire Department is getting a new chief. After 39 years of service, Chief Gregory Frederick said he is retiring.
On Wednesday, Mayor Craig Greenberg said Frederick's legacy will last for generations within the department and the city.
Frederick has served as LFD's chief for the past 24 years and is the department's longest-serving chief.
He led the department during the 2015 Whiskey Row fire, which devastated several historic buildings on Main Street in downtown Louisville.
And, though not yet named chief, Frederick held the safety of the community to tight standards when Hollywood came to town to implode the Belknap building for a movie starring Sylvester Stallone.
"Chief Frederick has done an outstanding job serving our community for decades," Greenberg said. "Our city owes him a great debt, and I, along with our entire community, want to offer our most sincere thanks to him."
Frederick said he's proud to have been part of the department and its history.
"Leadership is challenging, it's about doing the right things and doing things right," he said. "I haven't been perfect, but I always did what I thought and felt was right for the men and women of the LFD and the LFD itself."
Greenberg said in talks with Deputy Mayor David James, it became clear there was already a leader within LDF ready to take the reigns after Frederick.
Brian O'Neill, 49, was named as the fire department's next chief.
O'Neill has been with the fire department since 2003 and most recently served as a battalion chief. He's also served as the union president of the Louisville Professional Firefighters, Local #54, for a decade.
"Brian knows what it takes to be an effective firefighter and an effective leader," the mayor said. "[His] knowledge, leadership and commitment to professionalism will guide this vital public safety department but also will help keep Louisvillians safe during emergencies."
O'Neill said he is grateful and honored to have the support and trust of city officials to lead the department.
"It's humbling and honoring to know that I'm going to be joining this long line of illustrious chiefs going back to 1858," he said. "[Chief Frederick] has led us through tough times and through good times and all of us -- in this city, in this department, in this community -- we owe him a great debt of gratitude and we thank him."
While O'Neill credits Frederick for creating and maintaining a strong workforce, he said he knows there is more work to do in recruitment, retainment, and mental health services.
"We only see people when they're having the worst day of their life -- when they are in such desperate straits that they need to call for help for someone else to come and handle their emergency," O'Neill said. "And that's what we do day in and day out."
He adds that firefighters are paid well, but they could always use more.
Despite O'Neill's current role as union president, he said he and Frederick have always had a close relationship and have focused on taking care of the city and firefighters.
"The way that we've always approached that labor-management relationship is not one as adversarial," O'Neill said. "Actually, the chief said that we're kind of like divorced parents, we both want to do what's best for the family."
O'Neill's first day as chief is August 1, 2023.
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