Illinois State Fire Marshal, Matt Perez, has announced plans to retire at the end of this month.
Perez has served over 7 years as Illinois State Fire Marshal and over 37 years in the public safety field. Perez worked for two years as a patrol officer in the Kane County Sheriff’s Department.
He then joined the Aurora Fire Department where he served 27 years and became certified as a paramedic, an arson investigator, and rose to the rank of Assistant Chief.
Under Perez’s leadership, the agency developed programs which addressed hazards faced by firefighters including carcinogen exposure reduction and firefighter mental health.
Dale Simpson will assume the role of Acting Fire Marshal until a permanent replacement for Perez is named.