Mayor Donna Deegan, left, listens as Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Powers speaks during a news conference Nov. 30, 2023. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
Published on May 15, 2025 at 2:17 pm
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Jacksonville Fire Chief Keith Powers will retire June 30, and the process to select his replacement has begun.
Powers announced his retirement Thursday after 29 years with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, six of those leading it.
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In a news release, Powers said it has been “the honor of my lifetime to represent the brave men and women who put their lives on the line each day and serve our community, both on and off duty.”
The administration of Mayor Donna Deegan and the fire department began a succession plan and mentorship program in 2023. The goal was to identify people who could lead the department into the future.
Powers approached the administration early this year to discuss the transition to his successor.
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Deegan said Powers has served the city with honor and distinction.
“Beyond the daily routine of keeping our citizens safe, we have been a state and national leader under his watch,” Deegan said in the news release. “From Mobile Stroke and Critical Care Units to Emergency Road Access Teams during storms, to a high school athlete training scholarship program, these firsts for JFRD are testaments to the innovation that occurred during his time as chief.”
The process for candidates to submit applications will be announced in the next few weeks. Power’s successor will begin work July 1, the city said.
