Alexandria Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr. delivered an upbeat assessment of the department’s transformation during his first year in office, reporting significant improvements in employee morale and retention that have addressed longstanding staffing challenges.
Speaking to City Council Tuesday night (July 1), Hernandez said the department’s monthly attrition rate has dropped from 3.3 employees to 1.1 over the past year, with four former employees returning to work. The 10-year average attrition rate stands at 2.1 employees per month.
“Prior to this year, 2024, that attrition rate was actually as high as 3.3 a month,” Hernandez said. “So basically in the year period, we’re losing over 30 to 36 employees at that time. I’m proud to say that over the last year, the attrition rate has dropped to 1.1.”
The improvements have resulted in one of the department’s lowest vacancy rates at 1.7% over a five-year period. Hernandez said the department now receives transfer requests from other city employees for the first time in its history.
Operations and Response Capacity
The fire department operates nine stations with nine engines, three trucks, and six transport units, maintaining a minimum staffing of 66 personnel on duty at all times. Overall staffing includes 347.5 full-time equivalent positions, with 300 in operations and 47.5 in administration.
The department responded to 28,042 total incidents in 2024, including mutual aid calls, representing a 32% increase over five years. Medical and rescue incidents comprised the majority at 20,604 calls, while fire and alarm responses totaled 4,330.
Communication and Leadership Changes Drive Improvement
Hernandez attributed the turnaround primarily to improved communication and leadership engagement. He visited every fire station during his first three months and continues to visit stations weekly on Wednesday afternoons, accompanied monthly by Deputy City Manager Yon Lambert.
“Part of it is active listening and also responding to what we’re hearing,” Hernandez said. “They’re starting to see that some of the conversations that we’re having are actually resulting in actions that have been occurring over the last couple of months.”
The department implemented a new work schedule that Hernandez called one of the most significant changes. The previous collective bargaining agreement required transitioning to a 50-hour workweek by July 2025, utilizing a “Kelly Day” system that had proven problematic in other departments.
Instead, Alexandria adopted a fourth-shift schedule with a “debit day” system, creating a 42-hour work week foundation with employees working an extra day once every 24 days, averaging 49 hours weekly. The new schedule provides 48 hours off between shifts instead of the previous 24 hours.
“What’s nice about that schedule is it allows more times of 48 hours off in between shifts, where before they only had 24,” Hernandez said. “So basically it’s improvement in health and wellness, more rest for them.”
Promotions and Diversity Achievements
The schedule change required promoting 40 employees within the past year, with 48% being diverse candidates, including minorities and women. Hernandez said about half the promotions addressed a backlog from previous years, while the remainder supported the new schedule structure.
The department has achieved notable diversity in hiring, with women comprising 16% of career firefighters compared to the national average of 4.5%.
Accreditation Milestone
The department achieved accreditation this year through the Center for Public Safety Excellence, a milestone Hernandez noted was particularly meaningful since two former Alexandria fire chiefs originally developed the accreditation concept.
“It was also fitting and actually an honor for us to kind of end the loop by becoming accredited with the department that actually started the concept of accreditation,” he said.
Public Satisfaction and Community Engagement
The department scored among the highest ratings in public safety during the 2024 resident survey, with 90% satisfaction for overall quality of fire services and 89% for ambulance or emergency medical services.
Hernandez emphasized the department’s community engagement, noting firefighters regularly welcome children to firehouses without prompting from leadership. He said a resident approached him during lunch on Tuesday to praise the department’s openness to community visits.
Future Goals and Challenges
Looking ahead, Hernandez said priorities include maintaining current staffing levels, continuing annual compliance reports for accreditation, and improving the department’s Insurance Services Office rating from 2 to 1. Fewer than 1% of fire departments worldwide hold both accreditation and an ISO 1 rating.
“Currently, there are fewer than 1% fire departments in the world that have both accreditation and ISO 1,” Hernandez said. “I think we’re close.”
The chief aims to maintain the current attrition rate of one employee per month, which would require only one recruit class monthly to maintain staffing levels. Additional goals include better management of overtime and holdovers while maintaining service levels.
Council Response
Council members praised Hernandez’s leadership and the department’s transformation. Councilwoman Jacinta Greene highlighted the department’s professional response to recent incidents, including a plane crash, and noted community appreciation for firefighters’ presence at local events.
Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley asked whether lessons from the fire department’s retention improvements could apply to other city departments facing similar staffing challenges.
“Just that connection with employees is very critical to help develop that trust and for them to believe in you,” Hernandez responded, emphasizing the importance of honest communication and maintaining credibility with staff.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins concluded the presentation by noting a parent’s comment at a recent ceremony that their son wanted to work only for the Alexandria Fire Department, suggesting the department’s reputation has improved significantly under new leadership.
The presentation marked Hernandez’s one-year anniversary as fire chief, with the department continuing to focus on maintaining its momentum in employee retention and service excellence.
Presentation
