James Smith Named Fire Chief of Radnor, PA, Fire Department

James Smith, the son of the late FIrehouse contributor James P. Smith, will be the department's first career chief.

By BILL BARLOW

Source The Press of Atlantic City, Pleasantville, N.J.

Sept. 17, 2025

2 min read

James Smith was named the first career fire and EMS chief for Radnor, PA. Smith is the song of longtime Firehouse contributor James P. Smith.

Editor's note: Smith is the son of the late James P. Smith, the longtime author of Firehouse's Fire Studies column. In 2022, he wrote a tribute to his father that ran alongside Smith's final column.

Retired Ocean City Fire Chief James Smith accepted a position as fire and EMS chief for Radnor, Pennsylvania, a Main Line suburb west of Philadelphia.

The Radnor Township Board of Commissioners approved his appointment on Sept. 8 and he started the job on Tuesday as what community officials describe as Radnor’s first career fire and EMS chief.

Smith served eight years as Ocean City’s fire chief, topping a 30-year career in the city, before he retired in 2024. Former Deputy Chief Bernard F. Walker replaced him as Ocean City’s fire chief.

City officials at the time praised Smith’s work, including restructuring the city’s department. In Radnor, he will have overall direction, administration and evaluation of the township’s fire and Emergency Medical Services, according to an announcement posted on the township’s website.

“We are excited to welcome Jim to this critically important role for Radnor Township,” said Township Manager William M. White. “The chief is the cornerstone for building the best combination system possible, and we believe hiring Jim gives us a huge advantage moving the fire and EMS service forward for the residents of Radnor Township.

In his own post to his LinkedIn page, Smith expressed enthusiasm for his new job.

“It’s with immense pride that I accept the role as Radnor Township's first Career Fire and EMS Chief. I am deeply thankful for this opportunity and the trust placed in me by the Township Commissioners, Bill White, and the Executive staff,” he wrote. “My vision is clear: to build on the strong foundation already in place by working closely with our neighbors and partner agencies. Our collective goal is to ensure Radnor remains one of the safest communities for our residents, businesses, and visitors.”