Ken Welch appointed new fire chief of St. Petersburg

Acting Head of the Fire and Rescue Service of St. Petersburg Keith Watts removes the word “temporary” from his title as Mayor of St. Petersburg Ken Welch announced.

Welch selected Watts for the permanent position after former executive Jim Large retired from that position earlier this year after 18 years in the leadership position and 50 years with the Department overall.

Watts has embraced this position by prioritizing the advancement of innovation, safety, equitable practices and community engagement.

Watts has been with St. Peter Fire and Rescue since 2018, first as the department’s chief of administration and most recently as interim chief. Watts will become the department’s 11th fire chief since its founding in 1907. He is also the first African American to hold this high office.

“With his leadership and decades-long career in public safety, I am confident he will continue to maintain the high standards of service our community deserves,” said Welch, who himself became the first African American to serve as mayor. “Chief Watts brings experience and dedication to his job, and I look forward to working with him to drive focused progress within the department and throughout St. Petersburg.”

Watts will focus on expanding the department’s emergency response capabilities as well as developing firefighter training programs. Watts also plans to increase public safety awareness throughout the St. Petersburg area and modernize departments to meet the needs of the growing city and its residents.

“I am honored to serve as Fire Chief with this dedicated team of professionals. Together, we will continue to prioritize safety, innovation and community engagement, ensuring we remain a strong and trusted presence for the people we serve,” Watts said. “I am committed to building on the foundation of the St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue Service while advancing our mission to serve and protect the lives and property of the residents of St. Petersburg.”

Watts began his public safety career with Orange County Fire Rescue in 1991 while serving as a combat medic in the Florida Army National Guard. He was awarded the Florida Medal of Honor for his life-saving efforts after serving while deployed to Miami following Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Watts has held leadership positions with Orange County Fire Rescue, including as Special Projects Battalion Chief, a position in which Watts oversaw the Department’s standard operating procedures and led strategic planning initiatives. In addition, he oversaw the Department’s national accreditation process through the Center of Excellence in Public Safety.

Watts has also served as an incident commander for numerous fire, EMS and hazardous materials incidents. This summer, he also played a key role in partnering with the Pinellas County Urban League to launch “Camp Ignite,” the city’s first all-female firefighting camp aimed at engaging, empowering and encouraging teenage girls to consider the fire service.

Watts earned a master’s degree in management with a concentration in human resources from the University of Central Florida and holds several professional certifications, including fire marshal certifications. He is a 2020 graduate of Eckerd College’s Leadership Development Program. He also holds multiple certifications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Fire Academy.

Watts will report directly to Welch and will be a member of the mayor’s executive cabinet. While the appointment is effective immediately, there will be a pinning and swearing-in ceremony at a date yet to be determined.

Watts replaces Large, who retired from the department in March. Long announced his retirement in January after a controversy led to a suspension amid an investigation into allegations that Large created a hostile work environment that he denied. Large was ultimately acquitted and returned to duty.

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