Gerald Tucker, a 27-year veteran of the North Little Rock Fire Department, will become the department's new fire chief effective July 15, Mayor Joe Smith said Friday.
Tucker, 53, the department's assistant fire chief since last year, has been interim fire chief since the death of Chief Jim Murphy on March 18 at age 65 from heart surgery complications.
Tucker's annual salary will be $103,517, according to a city spokesman.
Smith hired Murphy out of Florida in July 2014 but this time didn't try for a national search, he said.
"When I brought Chief Murphy in, I really felt that it was time we needed a change, a new face," Smith said in an interview. "So when Chief Murphy passed away, my big decision was do we need to go out again or do we want everything to stay internal this time."
"Over the last several months, Chief Tucker has taken over the reins for Chief Murphy and I've been more and more impressed with him every day," Smith said. "I like his professionalism and his attention to detail. He lives, eats and breathes being a fireman and he loves his firefighters. That's the type of attitude I want throughout our management team. I was happy to promote from within."
When Murphy arrived, he tagged Tucker as his likely successor, Tucker recalled in an interview Friday.
"When Chief Murphy got here, he said when I leave in four years, I'll work with you and I think you're going to be the next chief," Tucker said. "I've always thought about it."
Tucker said that one of his first tasks will be to hire an assistant fire chief, since he has been doing the job of assistant chief and interim chief at the same time.
"It's different trying to do both jobs," he said. "I'll have a little help."
Department-wise, Tucker said that "The big thing is to remain proactive and train every day to give the citizens and guests of the city the best service possible."
In a letter to Tucker notifying him of his promotion, Smith thanked him for serving the dual roles to manage the department and called him "an excellent choice to carry on the tradition of excellence in our fire department."
Smith said Friday that he is certain Tucker "will keep us on track to be the best in the state and be the best trained."
Tucker was born in France where his father was in the U.S. Air Force. His family moved to Arkansas when Tucker was 10.
He started with the North Little Rock Fire Department in 1990 as a firefighter. He earned promotions to lieutenant in 1995 and captain in 2000, heading the department's training division.
North Little Rock's Fire Department has 164 certified firefighters among 172 employees and has 11 fire stations. The department's 2017 budget is $16.8 million.
Metro on 07/01/2017