Meet Fremont's New Fire Chief

FREMONT, CA — San Jose Fire Chief Curtis Jacobson has been appointed Fire Chief for the City of Fremont. He will begin work on December 18. Jacobson replaces Interim Chief Amiel Thurston, who will resume his duties as Deputy Fire Chief.

Jacobson rose from recruit to the rank of Fire Chief over the course of a 25-year career in San Jose. He has held leadership positions in the Bureaus of Fire Prevention, Field Operations, and Training.

“Curtis stood out to me as the ideal candidate for the job. He is intelligent, talented, and his 25 years of service—from Firefighter to Chief in San Jose—make him a great fit for the top job with the Fremont Fire Department,” said City Manager Fred Diaz. “He has a mature and balanced perspective on issues and will lend both stability, and continued progress to the department. On behalf of the City Council, I look forward to working with Curtis as he embarks on his new career in Fremont.”

When asked about his appointment, Jacobson said, “I am humbled and honored at the opportunity to serve as Fremont’s next Fire Chief. I look forward to working with community members, fire department personnel, City leadership, and City staff towards enhancing the department's exceptional service it provides.”

Jacobson has a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from San Jose State University and is a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The San Jose Fire Department has 33 stations and 824 employees. Fremont’s Fire Department has a total of 160 full-time employees and 11 fire stations.

-Image via City of San Jose