In 1993 Von Essen was elected as President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association representing the department's firefighters: he served in that post until his appointment as the department's 30th Fire Commissioner.
Von Essen was elected as President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association. This was in 1993. Von Essen was representing the department's firefighters. This was in 1993. He served in that post until his appointment as the department's 30th Fire Commissioner.