Kevin Jones, Jacksonville's Fire Marshall and leader of the Fire Prevention Division within the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), is retiring after a dedicated service of over three decades, marking his last day on Friday. According to the city's announcement, Jones, who attended UNF and started with JFRD in 1991, rose through the ranks, from firefighter to fire district chief, until his appointment as Division Chief in 2013.
JFRD Chief Keith Powers highlighted Jones's service, noting "Since 1991, Chief Jones has dedicated his life to serving the citizens of Jacksonville. He has served under three mayoral administrations as the city’s Fire Marshall," acknowledging Jones's unparalleled knowledge of the fire code and his valuable contribution to the city, according to the city's announcement. In the wake of Jones’s retirement, Deputy Division Chief of Fire Prevention Allen Mason is set to be promoted to Division Chief and will serve as the new Fire Marshall, having been part of the JFRD since 2004 and climbing the department's ranks, which included recent advancement as part of Mayor Deegan’s succession planning initiative.
Mason is known for his innovative thinking and his ability to collaborate across different departments and agencies, and was recognized for his efficiency improvements in the fire inspection process as one of the first in JFRD to receive a Lean Initiative Green Belt Chief Mason has been training under Chief Jones over the past year, preparing to take over the reins of fire prevention in Jacksonville. Alongside Chief Mason's promotion, Fire Prevention Captain Damian Bell will advance to the role of Deputy Division Chief of Fire Prevention, bringing his focus on fire safety inspections, prevention, public education, and training from his time with JFRD since 2004, as the city announcement noted.
Mayor Donna Deegan, expressing her gratitude, affirmed, "I am grateful to Chief Jones for his many years of service, and to Chief Mason and Captain Bell for stepping up to lead the Fire Prevention Division," emphasizing the city's dedication to career development and leadership advancement within the JFRD, according to the city's announcement. These leadership transitions became effective on Saturday, and are in line with previously announced efforts by Mayor Deegan and Chief Powers, to diversify JFRD's leadership team to reflect the city's demographics.
