On July 9, 2024, Fire Chief Shawn Wittkop took the oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony by Mayor Mike McCann. Prior to his appointment, Shawn was with the Sylvania Township Fire Department for 25 years. He served as a Lieutenant and acting Battalion Chief as needed for Sylvania Township in Lucas County. Wittkop is certain about continuing in a profession for which he is well versed and passionate about.
Chief Wittkop grew up in Monroe, MI, and considers Defiance a good fit due to the small town setting.
He attended Monroe public schools most of his life, but graduated high school from Clonlara School, a private school in Ann Arbor. After partaking in fire service “ride-a-longs” with friends who worked in the Toledo Fire Division, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
In 1999, Shawn completed the Ohio Fire Academy and began as an entry-level firefighter with Sylvania Township. In 2012, he obtained a nursing degree from the University of Michigan. Most recently, Shawn graduated from the Ohio Fire Executive Program administered by the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation which provides training and leadership skills for Chiefs to better lead the community and organization in which they serve.
Fire service has become an outstanding career and very rewarding for Shawn. The Defiance career opportunity is a privilege for him to be able to serve in the community and provide excellent fire and EMS response to those that need it.
Please help us welcome Fire Chief Shawn Wittkop to Defiance! He and his wife Melanie, a nurse practitioner, live in western Lucas County but are weighing their options about relocating to Defiance. They have a 12-year-old-son, Colon, and a daughter, Audrey, who will attend the University of Findlay as a freshman in the fall.
