Carmel Fire Chief Joel Thacker to depart

Carmel Fire Department Chief Joel Thacker will depart from his position effective Friday, Oct. 23, with Deputy Chief Lucas Ray stepping in as interim chief.

Finkam

Thacker

“Chief Thacker has provided dedication and leadership to our fire department and the entire Carmel community,” Mayor Sue Finkam said. “I am grateful for his service, particularly his effort in securing vital equipment and technology upgrades and leading local flood recovery responses and I wish him the best in his next chapter.”

Thacker started as Carmel Fire Department Chief in September 2024, and under his leadership the department has achieved several key milestones, including:

• Acquired a fifth ambulance to enhance EMS response capabilities
• Upgraded essential fire and EMS equipment and integrated emerging technology to support firefighter safety and efficiency
• Instituted a lateral hiring process and prioritized officer development programs
• Led the coordination of Emergency Operations Center flood recovery efforts

After leaving his role as fire chief, Thacker will return to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to lead the agency’s newly created Office of Cybersecurity, according to IDHS.

The City of Carmel will begin a search process to select a candidate to lead the department. Interested candidates can view the job posting and application details at this link.