Fire Chief Robert J. Crawford accepted the position of Fire Chief for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent in March 2001. His past work experiences include; District Chief, Emergency Planning, Research and Development for Toronto Fire Service and North York Fire Department. He also served as a Captain and Firefighter for the North York Fire Department.

Chief Crawford's thirty years of Emergency Services experience, sound knowledge of principles and practices associated with emergency services, fifteen years of administrative experience including management duties, strategic planning, labour relations and policy development combine to give him a solid background, providing leadership to over four hundred firefighters working from 19 fire stations in Chatham-Kent. He oversees Fire and Emergency Services, and also serves as a Community Emergency Management Coordinator within the Municipality.

Chief Crawford is a member of the executive board for the Fire Services Section, National Fire Protection Association. He is a past director, and current member, of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs; he currently holds memberships with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, and Chatham Rotary Club.