Fire & Rescue
Fire chief announces retirement after 31 years with Lexington Fire Department
Lexington/Fayette County, Kentucky — Lexington Fire Chief Jason Wells plans to retire in January after more than three decades with the department, Mayor Linda Gorton announced Monday.
Wells, who has served with the Lexington Fire Department for 31 years, was appointed chief by Gorton in 2021. During that same period, annual emergency responses increased from 61,846 runs to more than 70,000 runs.
Among the initiatives launched under Wells’ leadership were equipping medical units with whole blood for on-scene transfusions, implementing a station alerting system aimed at reducing response times and creating the Community Crisis Co-Response Team in partnership with the Lexington Police Department to assist with mental health-related calls.
The department also added a 13th emergency medical vehicle to its fleet and expanded its community paramedicine program, which provides support for residents dealing with issues such as mobility challenges, addiction and mental health concerns.
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