Williamsport council honors retiring Fire Chief Sam Unks

Williamsport City Council on Jan. 8 adopted a resolution honoring Chief Sam Unks for his more than 27 years with the Williamsport Bureau of Fire, including roles as firefighter, journeyman, fire inspector, platoon chief, deputy chief and, since 2022, fire chief.

The council president read the resolution into the record, noting Chief Unks’s service dates from March 16, 1992, through Jan. 11, 2026. Multiple council members offered personal remarks, thanking Unks for leadership, mentorship and community engagement. Council member Billiken said he “aspire[s] to your level of service and commitment,” and another member recalled Unks’s role in regional conversations about the fire department. A member of the public, Ron Lombard, also praised Unks’s work with youth scouting during a public-comment period.

The resolution was moved, seconded and adopted 5-0. Council members said they look forward to an orderly transition and expressed confidence that department staff will continue the chief’s work. The council did not announce a successor at the meeting.

The item concluded with brief remarks from Chief Unks and a photograph opportunity after the presentation.