CHAMPAIGN — The City of Champaign has selected an interim Fire Chief.
City Manager Joan Walls announced she has appointed Tyler Funk to serve in the role starting July 14 as current Chief Andy Quarnstrom will retire from the Champaign Fire Department. Funk previously worked at the department for 26 years, rising to the rank of Deputy Fire Chief before retiring in 2023.
“Tyler is a well-respected and trusted leader who is very familiar with the operations, services, and personnel at the Champaign Fire Department,” she said in a statement. “I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead the department and thank him for serving the city and our residents in this interim role.”
Funk began his career as a firefighter with the Champaign Fire Department in 1997. He served as Acting Fire Chief during the City’s COVID emergency response in 2020-2021, according to the city. Furthermore, he served as Fire Marshal from 2019-2023, taught Incident Command System training at the department for many years, and was a member of the State of Illinois’ MABAS deployable Hazmat team.
“I am grateful to have this opportunity to continue supporting the hard–working professionals of the Champaign Fire Department until a new Fire Chief is selected,” Funk said in a statement. “I cherish the relationships that I built throughout my career with the City of Champaign, and the experiences I shared with the professionals at both the Fire Department and the executive leadership at the City.”
Prior to joining the Champaign Fire Department, Funk served as a Department of Defense Firefighter with the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, N.C. from 1992-1996.
Quarnstrom is leaving in July to serve as the village administrator for Savoy.
Walls is expected to conduct a search for a new Fire Chief starting later this summer.