Capital City Fire Rescue Chief Rich Etheridge Retires After Over 25 Years of Service

Capital City Fire Rescue (CCFR) Chief Rich Etheridge quietly retired on the last day of December 2025 after 27 years with the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) and 34 years supporting Alaska's public safety.

"Chief Etheridge provided steadfast leadership at CCFR and navigated many challenges with courage and positivity," says CBJ Deputy City Manager Robert Barr. "We are grateful for his exemplary service to our community and are excited for him and his next chapter."

Chief Etheridge is a born-and-raised Juneau local and lifelong Alaskan. His history with CCFR began in 1992, when he started volunteering at one of Juneau's stations. His career eventually brought him to the Kenai Peninsula, where he patrolled and ran the region's Village Public Safety Operations program as an Alaska State Trooper. Chief Etheridge later returned to CCFR as a Fire Marshal and in 2010, was appointed as the department's next Fire Chief.

Chief Etheridge leaves a lasting impact on public safety in Juneau. During his time as Fire Chief, CCFR strengthened Juneau's emergency prevention services in many ways, including by managing the sobering center, launching the Mobile Integrated Health program, and leading the Mobile Crisis Response program. Under Chief Etheridge, the department also established an apprenticeship program to train local Emergency Medical Technicians and led Juneau's implementation of COVID-19 testing centers.

"Everyone was frustrated because nobody had the resources to make the COVID-19 response happen," he explains. "So, we stuck our hand up and said, 'we've got this.'"

In his retirement, Chief Etheridge has two messages for Juneau residents: watch out for your safety and consider emergency services as a career.

"Down the road, you hear from patients who remember how we treated them," he shares. "It might be an ordinary call to us, but for them, it's a life-changing moment. We really are having a huge impact on the community."

Tom Hatley will join CCFR on February 9, 2026 as the department's next Fire Chief. Cindy Carte, CBJ's Human Relations manager, is active chief during the interim.

For media requests, contact the CBJ Communications & Engagement division at [email protected].