Gene Sanders Sworn-in as City of Tallahassee Fire Chief

May 12, 2023

Today, May 12, City officials, family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and community members gathered as City of Tallahassee Fire Department (TFD) Chief Gene Sanders was officially sworn in as the seventh career Fire Chief in department history.

"The City of Tallahassee is committed to being the national leader in the delivery of public service. We achieve this in part by leading with integrity, providing exceptional citizen service and investing in employee excellence - three of our core values. Gene Sanders embodies these values and lives them through his career of more than 25 years with TFD," City Manager Reese Goad said.

After serving as a volunteer with TFD, Chief Sanders began his formal employment with the department in 1997. During his tenure, he has risen through the ranks and held the positions of Firefighter, Driver/Operator, Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, Division Chief and Deputy Chief. He also has served the region in numerous leadership roles.

"As we move forward, TFD is in excellent hands with strong leadership from Chief Sanders. His professionalism, heart and commitment to both service and community are unmatched. I'm confident in his ability to lead us into the future," Deputy City Manager Cynthia Barber said.

During the ceremony, Chief Sanders reflected on his career progression with TFD and growing up in Tallahassee.

"I have been blessed with the support of my family and community and look forward to leading the dedicated members of the Tallahassee Fire Department as Fire Chief. To serve the community, you must know the community. I am proud to know this community and to have grown up in Tallahassee," Chief Sanders said.

In his new role, Chief Sanders today announced the promotion of Mike Hadden to Deputy Chief of Operations, which oversees the daily operations of TFD. Deputy Chief Hadden previously served as Division Chief over Emergency Medical Services and Training and has more than 25 years of experience in the fire service.

The full ceremony is available for viewing at YouTube.com/CityofTLH with photos available at Talgov.com/Photos.

TFD's 300 personnel, working out of 16 stations, serve nearly 300,000 people and provide for the safety and welfare of our community through prevention, preparation and protection. Learn more about TFD at Talgov.com/Fire.