Steven Locke, chief of the Burlington Fire Department for the past six years, has accepted the same position with the South Burlington Fire Department. He will succeed Terry Francis, who will move to the position of fire marshal, overseeing construction permitting, inspections and fire prevention.
Locke began work in Burlington in 2016 after 23 years of service in the Hartford, VT, Fire Department. He also served as interim chief administrative officer in that city during a transition period in 2019 and 2020. He has been a board member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs since 2016, and treasurer of the organization since 2019.
“We are thrilled to welcome such an accomplished leader to the South Burlington community,” South Burlington City Manager Jessie Baker said. “Chief Locke’s expertise in public safety, systems thinking and team management will be an asset to the Fire Department and the residents of South Burlington, as we celebrate the many decades of service of Chief Francis.”
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the city of Burlington as part of Mayor (Miro) Weinberger’s administration and work with the dedicated men and women of the Burlington Fire Department," Locke said. "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside an outstanding team of city leaders, and I look forward to the new opportunities we will face in my new role in South Burlington.”