DAYTON — The City of Dayton announced Jeff Lykins will be the new chief and director of the Dayton Fire Department Monday.
City Manager Shelley Dickstein announced that his promotion was effective Jan. 17, the date former chief Jeff Payne retired after 31 years with the department.
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A public ceremony will take place Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. at City Hall.
“Dayton is very well-served by our professional fire department, and we are confident that the tradition of excellence will continue under Chief Lykins’ leadership,” said Dickstein. “His experience, training and commitment to innovation have prepared him for the demands of the Director and Chief position.”
Lykins started with the Dayton Fire Department in 1992. He was promoted to fire lieutenant in 2000, fire captain in 2008, assistant fire chief in 2015 and deputy chief in 2017.
He was credentialed as a chief fire officer by the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association and will graduate from the National Fire Academy’s executive fire officer program in March. Lykins has a fire science bachelor’s degree from Anna Maria College and is working on his master’s in organizational leadership from Waldorf University.
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Lykins has multiple awards during his career, including the Box 21 Rescue Squad/Dayton Fire Department Firefighter of the Year Award 1999-2000), the Dayton Fire Department Medal of Honor (2000) and Robert B. Jacob Award of Merit.
