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Rochester's fire chief announces retirement after a year in the job

Rochester Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, who has announced his retirement after a year in that job, and 23 years with the department.
City of Rochester
Rochester Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, who has announced his retirement after a year in that job, and 23 years with the department.

The City of Rochester is looking for a new fire chief. City officials announced on Thursday that Felipe Hernandez, who has been in that role for a year, and was interim chief since March 2021, will retire effective Feb. 10.

Hernandez has been with the city fire department for 23 years, and Mayor Malik Evans issued a statement saying that he appreciates “the decades Chief Hernandez has committed to the RFD and to the safety of the citizens of Rochester.”

The city will use an executive search firm to do a nationwide search for his successor.

In the meantime, RFD’s Executive Deputy Chief of Administration, Theresa Everett will serve as interim chief.

She has served in leadership roles with the fire department for nearly four years. Evans said that Everett has said she intends to retire later this year and he called her “the ideal person to serve as the department’s leader during the search.”

The mayor plans to identify both internal and external candidates for the permanent fire chief position.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.