Meet the Staff
Fire Chief
Gary Ludwig
Gary Ludwig currently serves as the Fire Chief of the ISO Class 1 Champaign Fire Department and is the President for the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He has 42 years of fire, rescue, and EMS experience. Chief Ludwig started his career with the City of St. Louis at age 18, just two months out of high school. He rose through the ranks and retired as the Chief Paramedic of the St. Louis Fire Department
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Gary Ludwig currently serves as the Fire Chief of the ISO Class 1 Champaign Fire Department and is the President for the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He has 42 years of fire, rescue, and EMS experience.
Chief Ludwig started his career with the City of St. Louis at age 18, just two months out of high school. He rose through the ranks and retired as the Chief Paramedic of the St. Louis Fire Department after 25 years of service. He also served 10 years as a Deputy Fire Chief for the Memphis Fire Department, after retiring from St. Louis.
He has a Master’s degree in Business and Management and has been a licensed paramedic for more than 39 years.
He has written more than 500 articles for almost every professional publication in the fire and EMS profession. He has also been invited to speak at more than 250 professional EMS or fire conferences or seminars such as Fire-Rescue International, FDIC, Firehouse Expo, EMS Today, and EMS Expo. He has won numerous awards including awards for heroism, the prestigious James O. Page EMS Leadership Award in 2014, and the IAFC EMS Section’s James O. Page Achievement Award in 2018.
Deputy Chief of Support
Tyler Funk
Tyler Funk oversees the Logistics Division of the Fire Department, which includes budget, recruitment/hiring, promotional processes, investigative division, and prevention/education divisions. He also serves as the City’s Fire Marshal. DC Funk has been with the City of Champaign since July 1997. Prior to his appointment to Deputy Chief, he served
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Tyler Funk oversees the Logistics Division of the Fire Department, which includes budget, recruitment/hiring, promotional processes, investigative division, and prevention/education divisions. He also serves as the City’s Fire Marshal.
DC Funk has been with the City of Champaign since July 1997. Prior to his appointment to Deputy Chief, he served as a Battalion Chief within the Operations Division.
He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Illinois Fire Chiefs, and the Central Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.
Deputy Chief of Operations
Gary Gula
Gary Gula oversees the Suppression and Training Divisions of the Fire Department. The Suppression Division consists of 105 suppression personnel who staff six fire stations that are strategically located throughout Champaign. He has been with the Champaign Fire Department since 1989. Prior to his appointment to Deputy Chief of Operations,
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Gary Gula oversees the Suppression and Training Divisions of the Fire Department. The Suppression Division consists of 105 suppression personnel who staff six fire stations that are strategically located throughout Champaign. He has been with the Champaign Fire Department since 1989. Prior to his appointment to Deputy Chief of Operations, he held the ranks of Firefighter, Engineer, Lieutenant, Captain, and Battalion Chief.
DC Gula was born and raised in Streator, Illinois. Once he graduated high school, Gary enlisted in the United States Army where he served from 1984-1987. He then attended Parkland College and the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute.
He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Illinois Fire Chiefs, and the Central Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. He is a certified Incident Safety Officer and a member of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association.
Building Safety Supervisor
Randy Smith
Randy Smith oversees and coordinates permit and inspection activities for
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Randy Smith oversees and coordinates permit and inspection activities for construction in Champaign. The Building Safety Division ensures quality construction, energy efficient buildings, and confirms that life safety and accessibility code requirements are met. Mr. Smith’s areas of supervision include plan reviews and inspections of buildings, fire protection systems, electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Mr. Smith is also a Champaign County Emergency Management Agency Damage Assessment Coordinator.
Deputy Fire Marshal
Jeremy Mitchell
Jeremy Mitchell performs fire inspections and code enforcement in commercial
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Jeremy Mitchell performs fire inspections and code enforcement in commercial properties and conducts fire safety educational programs within the City. He also is a member of the Fire Department’s fire investigation team.
Deputy Fire Marshal
Robert Simmons
Robert Simmons performs fire inspections and code enforcement in commercial
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Robert Simmons performs fire inspections and code enforcement in commercial properties and conducts fire safety educational programs within the City. He also is a member of the Fire Department’s fire investigation team.