A 28-year public safety veteran, Steven Orusa was appointed Chief of the Fishers Fire Department on May 31, 2011. Chief Orusa is the director of the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists Response Team. Previously he was chairman of the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal Water Rescue Committee and co-chair of the Illinois Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Water Operations Committee.
He was the regional team leader for the MABAS Division Four and Five Dive Rescue Team in Lake and McHenry counties in Illinois. These rescue teams serve a population of approximately 1 million people along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Chief Orusa has a bachelor of science in law enforcement administration and did his graduate work in human resource management. He is a published author with his most recent work being “Dive Rescue Specialist: Operational Training for Public Safety Divers,” which was published in September 2007.
Chief Orusa has provided analysis on public safety diving for USA Today, Fire Chief Magazine, Fire Engineering Magazine, and Dive Training Magazine. He has also appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN to provide expert analysis on water rescue disaster response.
"I am humbled by this opportunity to serve our community and our fire department. Together, we will promote leadership focused on service to our community and the men and women of our fire department."
-Chief Orusa