For 15 years, Tim Gonzales has been working for the city of Jackson as a firefighter, fire motor driver and assistant chief of operations. Now, he gets to take on a new role as deputy fire chief.
The former deputy fire chief, David Wooden, retired back in April of this year, and now, Gonzales has been named as his replacement.
Gonzales, a Jackson native, says that he is excited to begin serving his hometown.
"This has been my dream job since I was small. I get to live out my dream of being able to serve the firefighters and the community, so I couldn’t be happier,” he said.
Jackson’s police and fire departments are under the direction of Elmer Hitt, the city’s director of police and fire services.
“Tim has been a valuable member of Jackson’s fire service for more than a decade, and I’m certain he’ll bring his work ethic, leadership skills and dedication to providing excellent emergency response to this new role,” Hitt said.
Gonzales says he’s looking forward to working with Hitt on programs that will make the community safer.
“Programs like our car seat inspections show how we can help residents take preventative measures if an emergency does occur. Focusing on more risk reduction programs will show that we can assist with different aspects of community safety,” Gonzales stated.
Gonzales’ first day as deputy chief was Friday, June 23. According to the city, other promotions are expected at the fire department later this year following an onslaught of staff retirements and promotions.
