Richmond, VA - The City of Richmond is proud to announce the appointment of Interim Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal as the permanent Chief of Richmond Fire and Emergency Services. His appointment comes as the department rolls out a series of new initiatives focused on strengthening operations, expanding leadership capacity, and reinforcing accountability for the department.

Chief Segal takes the helm having served as the Department's Interim Chief since January 2025. He joined the Richmond Fire and Emergency Services Department in 2020, where he oversaw the department's North Division and served as a Shift Commander.

"I am grateful to be able to continue in service to a community I have grown to love deeply," said Chief Segal. "I look forward to building on this Department's strong legacy and thank the Mayor and our CAO for entrusting me with this tremendous responsibility."

Chief Segal has a strong background in fire operations, special operations, emergency medical services (EMS), and incident management. Prior to his move to Richmond, Chief Segal served with the Baltimore City Fire Department for over 30 years. He advanced through the ranks becoming a Fire Pump Operator, Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, Battalion Commander, Division Chief, Deputy Chief, and subsequently Assistant Chief. He also served as the City's Interim Chief, Deputy Incident Commander on the Baltimore Regional Type III Incident Management Team and oversaw the Baltimore City Fire Department's Type IV Incident Management Team.

"For the last quarter I have had an opportunity to partner with Chief Segal in setting the foundation for the future of Richmond Fire," said CAO Odie Donald II. "Chief Segal not only has the trust and respect of his department and the community, his commitment to ethical leadership and best in class service delivery fully aligns with both Mayor Avula's vision for Richmond and the City's rich firefighting legacy."

Chief Segal's appointment is effective November 29, 2025.

New Leadership Positions

To ensure that RFD is well equipped to continue meeting the evolving needs of the city, the department is announcing the creation of a new role, a Senior Business Officer. This senior leadership-level unsworn position, which has been filled by City of Richmond Organizational Strategist Jeff Gray, will oversee the department's finances and general administrative activities, while ensuring the department consistently remains in alignment with citywide administrative and ethical standards. This new position also builds on the recently hired Internal Standards Officer, who focuses on monitoring compliance, makes sure that RFD's processes remain fair, and helps the department maintain a high level of trust.

"This new civilian Senior Business Officer will provide us with subject matter expertise to bring RFD's finance and operations in line with citywide standards and industry best practices," said Chief Segal. "I am excited to strengthen our leadership team with this addition."

New Proposed Policies to Ensure Consistency and Accountability 

Along with expanded leadership, the Richmond Fire Department is proposing three new policies to make sure its work stays consistent, fair, and in line with citywide administrative and ethical standards. Those new policies include:

1. Fire Inspection Control Measures and Guidance: Provides clear guidance for inspections to ensure they are done the same way across the city.
2. Anti-Corruption Policy: Reinforces the department's commitment to honesty and accountability.
3. Purchasing and Procurement Policy: Ensures that resources and supplies are purchased responsibly, with a streamlined process.

Together these initiatives build on work that is already underway within department, including biannual internal audits, supervisory oversight of inspection reports, and random accountability checks. With public trust and accountability at the forefront of these new initiatives, the Richmond Fire department is proud to be taking intentional steps to ensure that the city of Richmond continues to receive fire services that are professional, trustworthy, and reliable.

"Best in class service delivery is our citywide standard. The combination of this new structure and enhanced policies will keep the Fire Department running smoothly and ensure the department meets the high administrative and ethical standards our residents expect. I appreciate Chief's hard work and willingness to, as the Mayor says, 'Look for it, find it, fix it,'" said CAO Odie Donald II.

"One of my top priorities is taking Richmond's local government and transforming it into a model public-sector organization. That work happens through continuous, focused improvements to the way we do business. That's exactly what I've asked CAO Donald to do, and in collaboration with Chief Segal that's exactly what these new announcements deliver. This kind of nuts-and-bolts progress is how we build trust with our residents. More to come!" said Mayor Danny Avula.