Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has been confirmed as the U.S. fire administrator. Cochran is a former vice president of the Fairfax, Va.-based International Fire Chief’s Association (IAFC).

Cochran has more than 28 years of fire service experience. Before working in Atlanta, he served with the Shreveport, La., Fire Department, first as a firefighter and then as fire chief in 1999. “This is a really great day for the U.S. fire service. We thank the senators for confirming Chief Cochran for this important role as the nation’s preeminent fire chief,” said Chief Larry Grorud, president of the IAFC. “He’s one of the fire service’s most inspirational leaders and will do an excellent job as the U.S. fire administrator.”

Cochran served as the IAFC’s first vice president in 2007 and second vice president from 2006 to 2007, and was president of IAFC’s Metropolitan Fire Chiefs’ Association section from 2005 to 2006. He currently serves on the Board of Visitors of the Emmitsburg, Md.-based National Fire Academy. Cochran is slated to deliver the keynote address at Fire-Rescue International 2009 conference in Dallas on Aug. 28.

More information on his appointment is available on IAFC’s Web site.