ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — There’s a new Fire Chief in town.
On Friday, the city of St. Petersburg announced that Keith Watts will be the new Fire Chief for St. Pete Fire Rescue.
Watts, who has more than 30 years of experience in public safety and organization management, will lead the department. He first joined in 2018 as the Division Chief of Administration before becoming Interim Fire Chief.
Watts played a big role in launching “Camp Ignite”— the first, all-female firefighting camp at St. Pete that aims to encourage and empower teen girls being introduced to the fire service.
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Now, Chief Watts is making history as the first African-American to be named Fire Chief at St. Petersburg Fire Rescue. He is the 11th Fire Chief, since the department’s founding in 1907.
“I am deeply honored to serve as Fire Chief for this dedicated team of professionals,” Chief Watts said. “Together, we will continue to prioritize safety, innovation, and community engagement, ensuring that we remain a strong and reliable presence for the people we serve.”