Gov. Blagojevich names new State Fire Marshal

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today named David B. Foreman, a retired Captain from the Joliet Fire Department, as the new Illinois State Fire Marshal. Foreman, who has served as president of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois for the past eighteen years, will take the post immediately, pending confirmation by the State Senate.

 

"David Foreman brings more than twenty years of firefighting experience to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, making him a natural choice to lead the firefighting community.  I'm confident he will take on this job with enthusiasm and serve Illinois well," said Gov. Blagojevich.

 

Foreman, a 58-year-old Joliet native, earned a Bachelor's degree in Fire Science Administration from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1984, after earning an Associate Degree in Fire Science Technology from Joliet Junior College. He has served the communities of Lockport and Joliet as a certified firefighter. He is also a Certified Advanced Fire Instructor IV and emergency medical technician.

 

"I am very humbled by this honor and looking forward to the challenge of serving as State Fire Marshal," said Foreman. "It's a great opportunity to serve in this administration and I will work as hard as I possibly can to help the Office of the State Fire Marshal be the best that it can be."

 

With offices in Springfield, Chicago, and Marion, the mission of the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is to "reduce death, injury and property loss of Illinois citizens from fires, explosions and other hazards." The OSFM is responsible for inspecting the fire safety features in daycare centers, assisted living facilities, hotels and other state licensed facilities. They also conduct inspections to ensure the integrity of more than 102,000 boiler and pressure vessels found in manufacturing and chemical processing plants across the state, as well as conduct the registration and inspection of more than 21,000 petroleum and chemical tanks.

 

The agency also performs arson investigations, collects and analyzes fire reports, and is responsible for the personnel standards and education of the more than 45,000 firefighters in Illinois.