Alexandria's New Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr. Sworn In

ALEXANDRIA, VA — New Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr. was sworn in Tuesday to oversee the Alexandria Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services.

Hernandez was sworn in during a ceremony at City Hall Tuesday and was introduced to the community at Tuesday's City Council meeting. He will start the position on Monday, July 8.

"We’re extremely excited to welcome Chief Hernandez, who will become Alexandria’s first permanent Latino fire chief," said Mayor Justin Wilson in a statement. "He brings deep experience in labor relations, a modern, data-driven approach to firefighting, emergency medical service and emergency management, and what we understand is an 'off the charts' energy that we know will be valued here in the city."

Hernandez will take over after Interim Chief James Schwartz, who has been serving since former Alexandria Fire Chief Corey Smedley retired effective Jan. 12. Schwartz, an Alexandria resident, came out of retirement to be interim fire chief. Before retiring, he was Arlington County's deputy county manager for public safety and technology and spent 32 years with the Arlington County Fire Department, including 11 years as chief.

Hernandez brings 25 years of fire service experience, previously serving as fire chief for the City of Rochester, New York and overseeing 482 sworn and 24 civilian personnel. He retired from Rochester in 2023 and was most recently superintendent of the New York State Academy of Fire Science.

"What really made him stand out from other candidates in particular was his ability to connect with the community, his ability to create a strong relationship and bond with the men and women of our fire service, and he also had a strong vision for what fire service should be in the next decade," City Manager Jim Parajon said at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Hernandez told reporters that Alexandria was one of the first cities he visited when he was an adult, and he "fell in love with the area." As fire chief, Hernandez wants to maintain high standards in the fire department and focus on community engagement.

"I'm blessed that they gave me the opportunity to come here. It's a beautiful city," said Hernandez. "We actually live in Old Town right now, and we just enjoy the area."

Hernandez began his career as a firefighter in Rochester and went on to have leadership positions in the fire department's administrative, operations, training, and emergency management divisions, working on recruitment, volunteer support and professional development. He is a chief fire officer designated by the Commission on Professional Credentialing and a national emergency medical technician. He has more certifications in fire officer instruction, health, and incident safety, a master’s degree in leadership from Nazareth College and a bachelor's degree in business administration and management from State University of New York, Brockport.

As Alexandria's first permanent Latino fire chief, Hernandez says it is important for people to see themselves represented in high-ranking positions. In the City of Alexandria, an estimated 17 percent of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

"I think it's important for all of us to be role models for people in the community, and I'm just honored that I have the ability to do that for the Latino community in Alexandria," said Hernandez.