Norfolk taps 40-year veteran as new fire chief

The City of Norfolk officially has a new fire chief.

Interim Chief Sidney Carroll accepted the full-time position, city manager Pat Roberts announced Friday. Carroll replaces former Chief John DiBacco, who left in December for a new role as chief of Hagerstown, Maryland’s fire department after working his way up in Norfolk since 1992.

Carroll’s first official day on the job is May 4.

Carroll is a Norfolk native and has worked for the fire department since January 1982. In that time, he has served as a supervisor in all three operational battalions including working as the health and safety officer. He also served on the core values development committee for Norfolk Fire-Rescue and was the chair of the department’s diversity committee, according to a news release.

A highly decorated firefighter, Carroll has been awarded a medal of honor, a medal of valor, named firefighter of the year and been recognized on several other occasions for going above and beyond serving residents of Norfolk. He earned his bachelor’s degree in fire administration and has an associate’s degree in business administration, and has continued his training by pursuing national fire academy and incident management system courses.

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com