Illinois’s top fire safety official has announced his retirement.
State Fire Marshal Matt Perez says he will retire, effective Thursday, after seven years in that position and a total 37-year career in public safety. Perez is credited with developing programs to help fire departments obtain more vehicles and equipment, to bolster programs for volunteer firefighters, and to provide more help for physical and mental health hazards that firefighters face.
Former City of Springfield Fire Marshal Dale Simpson has been named acting state fire marshal while a search is underway for a permanent replacement for Perez.
