Gary Ludwig

Chief Brief

Gary Ludwig is the fire chief of the ISO Class 1 Champaign (Illinois) Fire Department. He is the most recent past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, having concluded his term in August 2020. He has 41 years of fire, rescue and EMS experience. Ludwig started his career with the City of St. Louis at age 18, rising through the ranks and retiring as the chief paramedic of the St. Louis Fire Department after 25 years of service. He has also served 10 years as a deputy fire chief for the Memphis Fire Department. Ludwig previously served on the EMS Executive Board for the IAFC for 22 years, with six years as chair. He has a master’s degree in business and management, and has been a licensed paramedic for over 39 years. Ludwig has written over 500 articles for almost every professional publication in the fire and EMS profession. He has also been invited to speak at over 250 professional EMS and fire conferences or seminars. His latest book is titled "Fully Involved Leadership." Ludwig has won numerous awards, including those for heroism, the James O. Page EMS Leadership Award (2014) and the IAFC EMS Section’s James O. Page Achievement Award (2018). He is a member of the FireRescue1 Editorial Advisory Board. Connect with Ludwig on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Full list of Gary Ludwig results

‘I did not go it alone’: Reflecting on the Fire Chief of the Year Award
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A leader’s success is often on the shoulders of so many supporters
Fire service leaders, let’s go to the movies
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Eight great movies with important leadership lessons for the fire service
‘Remember what you witnessed’: Memphis is a wake-up call for the entire fire service
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I know Memphis Fire, and while the inactions of three members should not reflect on the entire FD, we must learn from these fatal errors
A note to our citizens: Forget the cookies and cakes, we need your voice!
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Thank you for the wonderful gifts over the years, but your support with our elected officials is where we really need your energy
Water does not put out fires; money does
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Let’s stop talking about gallons per minute and instead focus on dollars per year
How fire chiefs get in trouble: The top reasons chiefs lose the top spot
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From substance abuse and harassment to improper hiring and promotion practices, there are several ways chiefs can self-destruct
Who will be left to respond?
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Amid our staffing challenges, fire chiefs must be creative and proactive in recruitment and retention efforts
‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’: Leadership principles for fire officers
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Lessons from Carnegie’s classic book can be applied to personnel management, interpersonal dynamics and fire service change-agents
Mental health response teams: It’s time to add them to our growing list of responsibilities
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Police reform prompts further discussion of how fire and EMS should handle behavioral health crises
‘Seagull fire officers’: Making a mess of fire department problems
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How to deal with officers who swoop in, squawk at everyone, dump all over and fly off, leaving others to clean up the mess
Fire service attorneys and HR personnel: The most undervalued members of your team
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Don’t try to handle personnel issues on your own; talk to the experts
Firefighters, do not fall victim to COVID-19 complacency
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Even as the virus surges, testing our patience and sanity, we must push forward, as a vaccine will soon be available
The socially distanced chief: Problems abound when the chief lives in a bubble
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It’s time to emerge from the office and do a little ‘Leading by Driving Around’ to connect with members
Book excerpt: ‘401 Things Veteran Firefighters Can Teach You’
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Tips, ideas and tricks of the trade that experienced firefighters have shared to help others become better and safer firefighters
Fire chiefs, if you cannot lead during a crisis, please, step aside
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During crisis, chiefs must communicate effectively, be honest, get personal and convey hope
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