Melanie Rucker promoted to interim Minneapolis fire chief

Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker will be the interim chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department when the current chief, Bryan Tyner, retires at the end of the year, the city announced on Monday.

Rucker, a 26-year veteran of the Minneapolis Fire Department, will be the first Black woman to to lead MFD. Since 1999, she has served as a captain, battalion chief and deputy chief. In her role as assistant chief, she has acted as the department’s public information officer.

RELATED: ‘The honor of a lifetime’: Minneapolis Fire Chief retiring after 30 years with department

“Chief Rucker has earned the trust and respect of this department and our city over more than two decades of service,” Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement. “She’s a steady, experienced leader who understands what it takes to keep Minneapolis safe, support our firefighters, and move the department forward. I’m grateful she’s stepping into this role and confident the Fire Department will remain in strong hands during this transition.”

The city says a national search is underway for its next permanent fire chief. Once a candidate is chosen and confirmed by the City Council, Rucker will return to her role as assistant chief.

“I am honored by the trust placed in me by [Community Safety] Commissioner [Todd] Barnette, Mayor Frey, and the City of Minneapolis,” Rucker said. “I am committed to providing steady leadership and to supporting our firefighters, to ensure we continue to deliver the highest level of service to the community and to maintain the strong relationships this department and Chief Tyner have built with our community and stakeholders. The priority will remain safety and prevention by proactively working with the community to reduce risks to life, property, and the environment.”
The post Melanie Rucker promoted to interim Minneapolis fire chief first appeared on KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.