Robert Leonard II arrived in Reading with decades of fire service experience, but he said it was the sense of community that immediately stood out to him.
Originally from Washington, D.C., Leonard moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a teenager and joined the fire service at age 16 after seeing a tiller truck drive through his neighborhood. What began as volunteering soon turned into a lifelong career. By 18, he was applying to departments up and down the East Coast before ultimately joining Prince George’s County Fire and EMS in 2005.
Over the next two decades, Leonard worked his way through the ranks, serving in busy engine companies, rescue squads, training divisions, and leadership positions before retiring as an assistant fire chief. Along the way, he also became a paramedic, taught more than 10 recruit classes, helped oversee a high school cadet program, and worked closely with community initiatives such as Toys for Tots.
Now serving as chief of the Reading Fire Department, Leonard said he wants to focus on staffing, training, and making sure firefighters return home safely after every shift.
“I want everybody to feel like they have an input into this department,” Leonard said during a recent interview on the Berks Weekly Podcast. “I’m not an individual type of person.”
Leonard described Reading’s fire department as close-knit and family-oriented compared to the much larger department he came from, which had more than 1,000 employees. In Reading, he said he enjoys getting to know firefighters personally and spending time with crews during meals or while stopping by stations throughout the city.
He also said residents have made him feel welcomed since arriving in Reading, recalling people stopping to introduce themselves, take photos, and wish him well during community events.
Among Leonard’s goals are filling leadership vacancies, improving staffing levels on fire apparatus, and increasing recruitment efforts, particularly for paramedics. He hopes to encourage more local residents to consider careers in the fire service and become involved in the department.
Outside of firefighting, Leonard said he enjoys traveling, attending sporting events and concerts, and trying new restaurants with his wife. He is also a longtime fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Leonard said mentoring younger firefighters remains one of the most rewarding parts of his career, especially hearing from former recruits years later as they build careers of their own.
“I love to teach,” he said. “I love to mentor and teach the young firefighters.”
He also emphasized the importance of basic fire safety for residents, including maintaining working smoke detectors, installing carbon monoxide detectors, and avoiding parking in front of hydrants or blocking fire lanes.
Looking ahead, Leonard said he hopes to remain in Reading long term and continue building relationships within the community.
“Every day I come to work, I smile,” Leonard said. “I’m excited to be here.”
