Who is Cranston's new fire chief? What we know.

CRANSTON − A longtime Cranston firefighter has taken command of the Fire Department.

Robert Ryan is the 20th chief in the 100-year history of the department.

He took his oath at a ceremony Tuesday night in the auditorium at Cranston High School East.

“His experience across all divisions and stations in our city made my selection of Bob Ryan as our Chief, a comfortable one,” Mayor Kenneth J. Hopkins said. “Ryan is a firefighter’s firefighter.”

Ryan's experience at the department spans 36 years, dating back to 1988, and it encompasses service at different stations across the city.

He rose to deputy chief in January 2019.

The organization has 196 firefighters and 15 civilians.

Ryan will oversee a $37-million budget, according to a news release.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cranston has new fire chief overseeing almost 200 firefighters