City Announces Next Fire Chief

The City of Oceanside announced that Deputy Chief Jessamyn "Jess" Specht has been selected as the City's next Fire Chief, succeeding Chief Dave Parsons, who will retire on June 19, following 25 years of dedicated service to the Oceanside Fire Department.

Chief Parsons joined Oceanside Fire in 2001 and built a career that took him from Firefighter/Paramedic to Fire Captain, Division Chief, and ultimately Fire Chief. During his four years leading the department, he oversaw the opening of new Fire Station 1 and Fire Station 9, strengthened the City's emergency preparedness programs, and launched the Oceanside Fire Department's Hand Crew, funded through Measure X revenue. In total, he spent 31 dedicated years in the fire service.

Deputy Chief Jess Specht will assume the role of Fire Chief upon the retirement of Chief Parsons. He joined the Oceanside Fire Department in 2003 as a Firefighter/Paramedic and has served the department for 23 years, rising through the ranks as Fire Captain, Battalion Chief, Division Chief, and Deputy Fire Chief. Specht holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Master of Homeland Security and Public Health Preparedness from Penn State University. Specht brings a strong operational record to the role. He served as Strike Team Leader during the 2017 Lilac Fire and as Operations Section Chief during the 2024 Pier Fire, and he led the department's 2024 Standards of Cover Study.

As Fire Chief, Specht's priorities include investing in training and mentorship for a growing department, expanding the Lifeguard Division in response to rising beach visitor demand, and continuing efforts to support the physical and mental health of the City's Fire personnel.