PHILADELPHIA — Gene Janda, the chief of fire and emergency services for the University of Pennsylvania, has been elected to a three-year term as a general member of the board of directors for the Philadelphia Fire Department Historical Corporation, which supports the Fireman’s Hall Museum in Old City.

Janda joined Penn’s Division of Public Safety in 2000.  He oversees the day-to-day operations of a team of five safety specialists and sets the strategic direction of fire and emergency services.  As the co-chair of the University City Emergency Preparedness Steering Team, Janda works in collaboration with nearby institutions and the city to advance emergency preparedness across campus.

“Chief Janda’s 23-year career within the Philadelphia Fire Department, along with his decade of service here at Penn and his passion for public safety, makes him the ideal candidate to serve on the board of the Philadelphia Fire Department Historical Corporation,” Maureen Rush, vice president for public safety at Penn, said.  

Located in a restored firehouse built in 1902, the Fireman’s Hall Museum celebrates the history and heroic moments of Philadelphia firefighting through its exhibits and public programs.  The museum preserves and displays historical fire-fighting artifacts.  Its collection includes fire-fighting tools, apparatus, uniforms, photographs and fire marks.