Meet the Chief
Chief Stitzel began his fire service career as a volunteer fire cadet in 1980 and firefighter in 1984. He became a paramedic in 1986 and began his fulltime career with the Huber Heights Fire Division in 1988. He served Huber Heights for 24 years with the last 10 years as a fire lieutenant. He then was hired as a Deputy Chief with the City of Mason Fire Department until 2015 when he began working as a private fire investigator for the insurance industry. In 2017 he was hired to serve as the fire chief in the City of Riverside until he started as the Fire and EMS Chief for the City of Franklin on May 1, 2023. In addition to his fire service, Chief Stitzel has been employed as an adjunct faculty for Sinclair Community College since 1999 and continues to teach fire service-related classes at the college.
Chief Stitzel is a certified fire investigator, fire safety inspector, fire instructor (live fire), firefighter, and paramedic. He also is a commissioned auxiliary police officer which aids in his arson investigation roles and has worked reserve or part time for several law enforcement agencies. Chief Stitzel has an associate degree in public safety services administration from Sinclair Community College and a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University. He is Pro Board certified NFPA Fire Officer IV and a credentialed Ohio Fire Chief from the Ohio Fire Chief’s Association.
Chief Stitzel’s passion is to continue to progress the Franklin Division of Fire into the future, ensuring the ever growing and changing needs of the community are met by the most efficient and effective fire and EMS service possible.
You can reach Chief Stitzel at:
45 East 4th Street
Franklin, Ohio 45005
(937) 746-4542, ext 1601