Oklahoma City Fire Chief G. Keith Bryant was named U.S. Fire Administrator Thursday.
Bryant, who was named chief in 2005, was appointed to the the Department of Homeland Security by President Donald J. Trump. He will replace Dr. Denis Onieal, who has been acting U.S. Fire Administrator.
"The IAFC is extremely pleased with President Trump's appointment of Chief Keith Bryant as U.S. fire administrator," said Chief John Sinclair, International Association of Chiefs (IAFC) president and chairman of the board. "The U.S. Fire Administration plays an important role in assisting local fire departments charged with protecting citizens and communities from fire loss and all hazards. Chief Bryant is a proven leader on the national and international stage and will serve the fire and emergency service and the country with excellence and honor."
Bryant started with the fire service as a U.S. Army firefighter/crash rescue specialist and served with the Edmond, OK, Fire Department before being hired by Oklahoma City (OCFD) in 1982.
In 1997 he was promoted to district/battalion chief in 1997 and in 2000 he was named chief training officer. In February 2004 he was promoted to battalion chief of operations and later that year he was named deputy chief of operations, according to the OCFD website.
Bryant received OCFD's Chief Officer of the Year Award in 2001 and he was the recipient of the 2010 J. Ray Pence Chief Officer Leadership Award from the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association. In 2014 the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association named Fire Chief of the Year.
Bryant was elected president of the IAFC in 2014.
During his IAFC inaugural address, Bryant said that leadership is the key component in reducing and eliminating firefighter fatalities and injuries, according to a release from the IAFC.
He is a past president of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association and Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association, according to a release from the White House. Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry appointed him to the Oklahoma State Fire Marshals Commission in July 2006.
Bryant serves on the National Fallen Firefighters Advisory Committee and and is an Advisory Board member for the Municipal Fire Protection Program at Oklahoma State University.
