The New Haven Fire Department was organized as a paid Department on June 24, 1862. Since that time there have been only fifteen Fire Chiefs in command of the Department. The fifteenth Fire Chief is Michael Grant. Grant served as assistant chief in charge of daily operations in the department since 1996.

Grant joined the New Haven fire service in 1972 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1981 and captain in 1988. He served as drillmaster at the New Haven fire academy from 1984 until his appointment as assistant chief in 1996.

Grant was awarded the Medal of Valor, the department’s second highest award, after attempting to rescue a man from a burning building on Elm Street in 1983.