Chapel Hill announced its selection of the town’s newest fire chief on Friday: Jay Mebane, the current chief of the Burlington Fire Department in Alamance County.

Interim Town Manager Chris Blue shared the appointment through a town release, ending a search ahead of Chief Vencelin Harris’ plans to retire in July.

“I am thrilled that Chief Mebane is joining our team as the Chapel Hill Fire Department’s next Fire Chief,” Blue said. “Chief Mebane stood out from a very talented pool of fire leaders, and his record of leadership with the City of Burlington and Burlington Fire Department have prepared him well to continue the good work of Chief Harris and the members of the Chapel Hill Fire Department.”

Mebane is a native of Burlington and began working with the city government more than 15 years ago. He began in the police department’s Animal Services Division in 2006 before joining the fire department in 2008. He became a fire captain in 2016, a fire marshal in 2018, Burlington’s Inspections Department Director in 2019, and then fire chief in 2020. Mebane holds an associate degree from Durham Technical Community College, as well as a bachelor’s degree from Fayetteville State University and a masters degree from UNC Greensboro.

“I am honored to be selected to serve as the next fire chief for the Town of Chapel Hill,” Mebane said in Friday’s release. “I am looking forward to building on the legacy that was established by the great fire chiefs prior to my appointment. The commitment from the members of the Chapel Hill Fire Department, Town management, and elected officials is inspiring to say the least. We are committed to providing an exceptional level of service and understand the level of trust and honor that is bestowed upon us as firefighters.”

Mebane will become the third fire chief for the town in the last four years. Harris took over the role in early 2020 from retiring chief Matt Sullivan, who served as the chief for Chapel Hill beginning in 2015. While he was chief for three years, Harris worked with the fire department for more than three decades.

Blue said on Friday that Mebane will formally begin his time with the Chapel Hill Fire Department starting on Monday, July 3.

 

Featured image via Town of Chapel Hill

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