Chief Larry Lamb is one of the most dedicated and courageous firefighters I have ever had the pleasure to work with.  Chief Lamb has worked to improve the Niles City Fire Department service delivery to its citizens from the very first day.
Chief Lamb created the “Captain Murph and Poky the clown” public education program that educated school age kids for many years with many credited saves.
Chief Lamb never settled for good. He would reach out to involve other fire and police department personnel to enhance the safety program.
Chief Lamb had the courage to take on both the fire marshal/code enforcement duties, as well as the fire chief duties when he became fire chief. It is no easy job being caught in the middle of tenant/landlord disputes, but Chief Lamb’s main goal is to provide a safe living place for tenants and educating both parties in the part they play.
Chief Lamb has always worked to bring compliance of property maintenance code through educating, and getting people to see the positives in a safe clean building and property, instead of enforcement through writing tickets only.
Chief Lamb’s dedication and courage really came to light when he forged the way to automatic aid with neighboring fire departments and combined trainings. It was met with resistance by a few politicians and firefighters, but that never stopped him because he knew that the citizens would receive more efficient fire protection and better equipped and trained firefighters.
Chief Lamb’s best quality is the fact that he never stops working to improve the Niles City Fire Department and the Niles City Building Safety division so that our citizens can have a safe, warm place to live and work.  It’s no small task he has been given, and it comes with more complaints than thanks, but he puts in a full day’s work every single day.
— Captain Don Wise, Niles Fire Department

Photography by Kelsey Hammon