The search for a new fire chief in Defiance is underway.

The search for a new fire chief in Defiance is underway with applications having spanned from within the department to Mt. Gilead, Sylvania, Van Wert, the Columbus area, Indiana and Michigan. Defiance’s civil service commission met with Human Resources Director Lannie Lambert Tuesday in the city service building conference room to review applications received for the position, to be vacated when Chief Bill Wilkins retires in June after 16 years. According to the Crescent Times Lambert informed the commission that 24 applications were received.