Harold B. Hairston was first appointed Commissioner of the Philadelphia Fire Department in July 1992 by then Mayor Edward G. Rendell. He was than reappointed in January 2000 by Mayor John F. Street. As a member of the Philadelphia Fire Department, Commissioner Hairston has devoted thirty-eight years to public service not only in Philadelphia, but to other areas of the country as well. Commissioner Hairston completed a three-year tour of duty in the United States Army Airborne that included an assignment as weapons instructor at West Point. It was after the completion of his three-year tour that the Commissioner joined the Philadelphia Fire Department. As a firefighter and a company officer, he worked in some of the most engaging areas of the City and has served honorably at every rank in the Philadelphia Fire Department.
As the Fire Commissioner for the city of Philadelphia, he is responsible for the 25,000 employees and the fifth largest fire department in the United States. Under his guidance, the Philadelphia Fire Department has:
- Reduced structural fires by 64%.
- Cut the annual number of civilian fire deaths in half.
- Reduced firefighter injuries by 58%.
- Developed and supported an educational partnership with both the Community College of Philadelphia and Holy Family University of Philadelphia that encourages firefighters to pursue their college degree.
- Substantially raised the public's approval rating of the Philadelphia Fire Department to the highest of any municipal department in the city.
Commissioner Hairston serves as a member on the following boards, CORA Services, Inc.; Variety Club of The Delaware Valley; Police Athletic League (PAL), Hero Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia; the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania; the Delaware Valley Burn Foundation; the Dad Vail Regatta, and the Young Scholars Charter School. Commissioner Hairston serves as the Chairman of the Laboratory Charter School for Communication and Languages.
Commissioner Hairston has received dozens of awards for his leadership and dedication to the community. Some of the prestigious awards he has received include, a Doctor of Humane Letters, Honors Causa Degree from Holy Family University of Philadelphia; the Excellence in Government Award, by the Society of Public Administrators; and he was the very first recipient of the prestigious Public/Private Partnership Outstanding Achievement Award, presented by the Conference of Mayors, for the Philadelphia Fire Department's Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Program.
Commissioner Hairston resides in West Mount Airy with his wife, Ann a well-respected teacher in the Philadelphia School System. They have two children, Harold, also a teacher and Jennifer a student, currently attending Drexel University.
Official Website of the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD).
