LITTLE ROCK – Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., today named Michael Doan as Little Rock's new fire chief.

Doan is a 22-year veteran of the Little Rock Fire Department and a lifetime Little Rock resident who had served as interim chief for the past four months.

Doan becomes Little Rock's 15th chief, leading a department accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and holding an ISO Class 1 ranking. Those designations put LRFD in the top 0.2 percent of fire departments nationwide. Doan succeeds Delphone Hubbard, who Mayor Scott appointed and the Little Rock Board of Directors confirmed as City Manager earlier this year.

"Through the course of an exemplary career rising through the ranks of the Little Rock Fire Department, Chief Doan has shown a commitment to the profession, fire department personnel, and, most importantly, the people of Little Rock," Mayor Scott said. "As assistant chief and interim chief, he has proven his ability to lead this department as we work together to unite, grow and transform Arkansas's capital city. With a mindset centered on public safety, he will be an effective leader that builds upon the progress we have made within the department."

Doan's firefighting career began in 2003. He was promoted to engineer in 2009 and to fire captain in 2012. He was division chief of training for LRFD from 2016 to 2019, before being named assistant fire chief for administration. In 2023, he became assistant fire chief for operations, with supervisory responsibility of more than 400 fire department employees. Mayor Scott named him interim chief in July. 

"It is a privilege and honor to serve my hometown as its fire chief, and I am committed to doing everything I can to support and protect the people of Little Rock and the men and women of the Little Rock Fire Department," Doan said. "Our committed and compassionate fire personnel put their lives on the line to keep others safe, and it is my pledge that LRFD will continue the excellence in fire service and public safety that residents expect and deserve."

Doan is a graduate of J.A. Fair High School. He has associate's and bachelor's degrees from Arkansas Baptist College, and an Executive Master of Public Service degree from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. He is a certified fire instructor, a graduate of the National Fire Academy Chief Fire Officer program and a graduate of the Executive Leadership Institute of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. A member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, he completed that organization's Fire Service Executive Development Institute.

He and his wife, Brandi, have three children: Faith, Briley, and Michael II.