AKRON, Ohio — The City of Akron has a new fire chief in Leon Henderson, who replaces the former chief Joseph Natko after his retirement, according to an announcement from the city.
Henderson was officially sworn in Friday morning.
“I’m excited to announce Leon Henderson as Akron’s next Fire Chief,” Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said in a press release. “Chief Henderson is a dedicated public servant with 34 years of service to the Akron community. He possesses the attitude, skillset and leadership qualities we were seeking for the role. We have an outstanding fire department, and I am excited to see how it continues to grow and thrive under Chief Henderson’s leadership. I also want to thank Deputy Chief Steven Kaut for serving as our Acting Chief during our search process. His service and leadership have been invaluable throughout this transition.”
Community members will have a chance to meet Henderson and ask questions at an upcoming town hall, planned for 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, at the Akron Summit Public Library.
Henderson graduated from Akron Garfield High School and is a U.S. Army veteran. He started at the Akron Fire Department in 1990 and worked his way through the ranks, being named deputy chief in 2022.
The release notes his work to encourage and promote department diversity, stating that while deputy chief he was able to achieve “a historic 44% minority recruitment rate in 2024.” He also created various fire prevention education programs, implemented a system that saved the department money and increased efficiency among other accomplishments.
“It’s the honor of my professional career to serve as Chief of the Akron Fire Department,” Henderson said in the release. “Vince Lombardi once said, ‘The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.’ It is a true privilege to serve the Akron community, and the firefighters/EMTs and administrative staff of our department. I will work closely with our teams as we continue to prioritize the safety of our residents.”
Natko has accepted the role of assistant to the mayor for emergency management following his retirement from the position of chief.