SOUTH LYON — Cindy Conrad is the city’s new fire chief, the first woman to hold the top job.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said Conrad, whose first day as chief was May 27. “I love the camaraderie, it’s amazing here.”
South Lyon City Manager Paul Zelenak chose Conrad to lead the department of about 30 paid on-call firefighters from among multiple internal applicants. Former Fire Chief Joey Thorington resigned in early May to become the fire chief in Southfield.
“She is the first female fire chief for South Lyon and a really good selection based on her years of experience and staff and team knowledge,” Zelenak said. “She has the full support of all the firefighters at the station.”
Conrad, 49, joined the South Lyon Fire Department in 2014 on a whim.
The native Canadian, a resident of South Lyon since 2006, had spent several years as a stay-at-home mother to four children and a decade of working off and on for Costco as a bakery manager when she received a postcard in the mail that firefighters were needed and paid training would be provided.
“I thought, ‘I’ll give it a shot, I like the medical side of things, and if I don’t like it, I’ll pick up great skills,” recalls Conrad, who earned an associate degree in health information technology. “I fell in love with it.”
She quickly began climbing the ladder of success and was promoted to sergeant in 2018, lieutenant in 2020 and captain in 2023 before reaching the top rung as fire chief, for which she will receive an annual salary of $92,500.Conrad received the congratulations of Mayor Steve Kennedy and other city council members at the May 27 council meeting.
Kennedy said he has been impressed by Conrad’s depth of knowledge regarding the various facets of firefighting and said as the department’s training officer, she has been instrumental in developing and delivering training for live fire exercises, cold water rescue, aerial truck familiarization and more.
“Ms. Conrad always delivers,” Kennedy wrote in an email. “She puts 100% into everything she does and I look forward to her leading the South Lyon Fire Department for many years to come as Chief Cindy Conrad!”
Conrad, who earned her U.S. citizenship in 2021, has traveled to Africa, Europe and South America and plans to celebrate her 25th wedding anniversary with her husband Kevin in Machu Picchu later this year, but says her heart is here in South Lyon, where she is looking forward to kindling a love for firefighting in others.
Conrad, the mother of Brendan, a 22-year-old Dearborn Heights full-time firefighter; Ryan, 20; Chris, 18; and Olivia, 17, said the firefighters she now oversees are like a second family.
“At any point you can rely on them to save your life in something dangerous,” she said. “It’s not just about being strong, there is a lot more education than there used to be. The people here are amazing, it’s a great team and a great culture. It makes it easier to step into the position.”
Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com or 517-281-2412.
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Meet Cindy Conrad, South Lyon’s first female fire chief
Reporting by Susan Bromley, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
