Dr. Hezedean Smith has been appointed as the new Chief of the Charlottesville, Virginia Fire Department and will begin his duties there on Dec. 1, 2020. Smith brings a wealth of expertise to the position and decades of experience.

Formerly a Lieutenant and Paramedic with the Orlando Fire Department in Florida, Smith was promoted to District Chief of Fire Station #1 there on Jan. 21, 2010.  He has more 22 years of combined Fire and EMS experience. As District Chief, he supervised the EMS activities of more than 500 fire department members and was assigned to the EMS Division of the Orlando Fire Department.

Smith earned a Doctor of Management degree in Organizational Leadership and a Master’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Associate degrees in Emergency Medical Services and Fire Science Technology.

The new Charlottesville Fire Chief is an OSHA-Certified Occupation Safety Specialist. He attended the University of Florida to obtain his certification as an Executive Fire and Emergency Services Officer and he’s a Certified Public Manager.

While in Florida, Smith was very active in the community. He served as Professor of EMS at Valencia Community College and volunteered in numerous capacities. He was a member of the Training Center Faculty at Orlando Health and mentored young men and women in their endeavors.

Hezedean Smith is from Montego Bay, Jamaica and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving as a medical specialist beginning in 1988. He began his career in the fire and EMS field in 1992.

Smith is a contributor to the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs. He participated in the annual Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs Conference (CAFC) held in Jamaica and in the University of the West Indies, Jamaica Prehospital EMS program. He’s a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers (UK and U.S.).

Photo: Hezedean Smith Facebook