News Release - Fire Chief Will Jackson Retiring After 25 Years of Service, Mayor Warren Names Felipe Hernandez Interim Fire Chief

City of Rochester News Release

Notable News:

  • Chief Hernandez to be First Latino Fire Chief of a Major Fire Department in New York State
  • Chief Jackson to Serve Through the End of February to Complete Transition
  • Fulfills “2-Year Plan” for Chief Jackson to Lead RFD and Mentor Chief Hernandez for the Role

(Thursday, January 14, 2021) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren today announced that Rochester Fire Department Chief Will Jackson will retire at the end of February after 25 years of service to the community. Executive Deputy Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr., a 20-year veteran of the RFD, has been appointed as Interim Chief upon Chief Jackson’s retirement.

“Today is a happy day,” said Mayor Warren. “I am excited that Chief Jackson has fulfilled the two-year plan he gave to me when I asked him to lead our Fire Department. He became Chief at a critical time for our City and he stepped up to the challenge. But, he told me then, that he made a promise to his wife and family to retire after 25 years of service. Well, that day is coming, and Chief Jackson’s a man of his word. So I am grateful to him for his leadership and excited that Chief Hernandez is ready to lead the department and continue our success.”

Under Chief Jackson’s leadership, the RFD earned national accreditation and Rochester maintained its status as a Class 1 ISO city, which leads to lower insurance rates for homeowners and businesses. With a staff of 504 firefighters and civilian employees, RFD responds to approximately 36,000 calls for service each year to protect the lives and property of city residents and visitors. 

With this appointment, Chief Hernandez will be the first Latino to lead the RFD and may be the first in New York State to lead a major fire department.

“Chief Felipe Hernandez is a career Rochester Firefighter who has the respect and admiration of his peers in uniform and the people of our community,” continued Mayor Warren. “Throughout his career, he has responded to calls, trained his fellow firefighters, managed major incidents, overseen our emergency preparedness and, for the past two years, he’s been at Chief Jackson’s side leading our Fire Department. There is no one more prepared and ready to command our City’s bravest than Chief Hernandez.”

Chief Hernandez began his service as a firefighter in 2000. He served as a Lieutenant in the Training division as the department’s Municipal Training Officer and later as a Lieutenant in the line division; as a Captain with the Line division; and as a Deputy Chief of the Emergency Management, Training and Line divisions. Since April 2019, he has served as Executive Deputy Chief, the second-in-command for the department. 

“It is greatest honor of my career to be given this opportunity to lead the Rochester Fire Department,” said Chief Hernandez. “I know first-hand the tremendous work our firefighters do every day protecting our city, and I humbly accept the enormous responsibility of fulfilling Mayor Warren’s vision to have the best trained, best equipped fire department in the nation. I’m grateful for, and humbled by, the trust Mayor Warren and Chief Jackson have given me, not just today, but always.”

Chief Hernandez said he is also honored to represent the progress of Latinos in firefighting. 

“Today, any Latino or Latina child can now look and say that someone who looks like me, who speaks my language cannot only be a firefighter, but be a future leader as the Fire Chief. That matters and I am proud to continue to be a role model for our entire city,” said Chief Hernandez.

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News Media: For more information, email Bridgette Burch White at Bridgette.BurchWhite@cityofrochester.gov.

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Fire Safety