After more than four months serving in an interim role, Keller officials announced Tuesday that David Jones will continue serving the city’s residents as chief of the Keller Fire Department.

“We are very pleased with the contributions Chief David Jones has made during his many years of service to our community,” City Manager Steve Polasek said. “Our excitement for David in his new role as chief is predicated not only on what he has accomplished, but also on the achievements we anticipate with him at the department’s helm.”

Jones, whose certifications include Master Firefighter, Master Fire Instructor and Master Inspector, began his service with the Keller Fire Department 24 years ago and successfully moved through the ranks, working as a firefighter, paramedic, fire lieutenant and fire captain before being promoted to a battalion chief in 2009. He was named interim fire chief in August 2012 after the resignation of Chief Dan Gaumont.

Since taking over as interim, Jones has improved communication within the department, adjusted duties to save money and allow for a more flat organizational structure, and spearheaded the development of a mission statement and set of core values meant to shape the department moving forward.

Mark Hafner, Keller’s public safety director and police chief, described Jones as a responsive and open-minded “working fire chief,” who takes the time to visit with personnel on a regular basis and actively learn more about the city and the Fire Department’s role within it.

“His performance during the interim assignment has been excellent and his qualifications and commitment to the team brings confidence to his ability to lead the department into the future,” Hafner said. “Removing the ‘interim’ title will allow him to move forward and put into place sustainable changes that will continuously improve the fire services in our community.”

Tuesday’s announcement makes Jones the first fire chief in decades to have worked his entire career with the Keller Fire Department and the first in department history with an EMS background.

Jones said his immediate goals are to provide continuity of leadership, maintain open and transparent communication within the department and with the community, and develop and prepare his firefighters to take on leadership roles in the future.

“I am humbled by the overwhelming amount of support I’ve had within the department, the city and the community over the last four months,” he said. “I’m very excited to continue my work serving this group of firefighting professionals and, most importantly, the residents and businesses of Keller.”

Story courtesy of the City of Keller