Zaccard Retires As St. Paul Fire Marshal

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – Officials announced Wednesday that after more than 30 years with the St. Paul Fire Department, Steve Zaccard is retiring.

Zaccard has been with the St. Paul Fire Department since 1984 and was most recently the fire marshal and public information officer. Zaccard served as city manager in 1985 and eventually worked to pass legislation that required hard-wired smoke alarms to be installed in homes as a condition of sale.

He helped reduced the number of fire fatalities from 28 in 1978 to none in 2009. The city's 10-year average also dropped to 3.4 per year.

Zaccard's last day was Tuesday. Assistant Chief Mike Gaede is assuming the role of public information officer.