Chapel Hill Town Manager Maurice Jones announced Vencelin Harris has been appointed as the new fire chief of the Chapel Hill Fire Department effective February 3.

Harris currently serves as Chapel Hill’s emergency management coordinator and began his career more than 25 years ago at the Town of Chapel Hill. He has served in nearly every capacity at the Chapel Hill Fire Department since 1994 from firefighter to fire captain to battalion chief.

“Chief Harris brings a wealth of experience to this critically important position,” Jones said in a release on Friday. “His steady leadership during emergency situations, deep commitment to our community and passion for public safety made him the right person for the position. I have great confidence in his ability to direct our fire department.”

Harris replaces former fire chief Matt Sullivan, who announced his retirement in 2019 after 32 years with the town.

“I am honored to be given this opportunity and to serve our community in the role of fire chief,” Harris said. “I look forward to leading the department as we continue to grow as a community partner.”

Born and raised in Durham, Harris received an associate’s degree in general studies from Durham Technical Community College in 2014.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Fire Chief Discusses His Decision to Retire
When asked about any plans he has for retirement, Chapel Hill Fire Department chief Matt Sullivan has no shortage of ideas. “I want to learn how to bake bread, I think,” he says with a grin. “There’s a book in me that has been wanting to be written for a long time. I’ve had this […]
Fire in Townhome Displaces 4 Chapel Hill Residents; No Injuries Reported
A fire at a townhome building in Chapel Hill sent firefighters rushing to the blaze and left four residents displaced on Thursday evening.
Crash and Vehicle Fire Briefly Close E. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill; 2 Injured
A crash in a residential area of East Franklin Street briefly closed the road and led to a vehicle fire, according to the Town of Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill Fire: S. Graham Street Reopened After Brief Gas Leak
A gas leak has shut down South Graham Street in Chapel Hill between the intersections with West Franklin and West Cameron Streets. The Chapel Hill Fire Department first reported the leak at 10:46 a.m. on Friday morning, and a spokesperson for Dominion Energy – the gas supplier for the region – confirmed it shortly after. […]
Chapel Hill: 1 Found Dead in House Fire Along Rogerson Drive
The Chapel Hill Fire Department is investigating a fatal house fire that took place in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Local Service Award Winners Honored at UNC Men's Basketball Game
The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro honored its 2023 Service Award winners before the UNC men’s basketball team’s game at the Smith Center on Wednesday night. Eleven winners in total were recognized for their outstanding work. The winners were joined on court by several other members of the service community, including Carrboro mayor Barbara […]
Chapel Hill Picks Burlington's Jay Mebane as New Fire Chief
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 […]
Police: Car Crash Into Tree Kills 2 in Chapel Hill
Two people died Tuesday night after a car crash struck a tree near the Meadowmont Village neighborhood in Chapel Hill, according to police. A release from the town government early Wednesday morning said both the Chapel Hill Police and Chapel Hill Fire departments responded to a report of a vehicle on fire around 9:40 p.m. […]
Structure Fire Damages UNC School of Medicine's Marsico Hall
The Chapel Hill Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at the UNC School of Medicine’s Marsico Hall at 10:49 p.m. Wednesday night. Marsico Hall is located at 125 Mason Farm Road in Chapel Hill. Firefighters extinguished the parts of the fire the building’s sprinkler system did not reach, though the structure […]
Chapel Hill Fire: 4 Injured in Single-Vehicle Crash that Closed Road
A fiery single-vehicle crash led to several trips to the hospital and a road closure late Friday night, according to the Chapel Hill Fire Department. Emergency services responded to calls of a crash shortly after 9:30 p.m. and sent out a social media alert after 10 p.m. about the closure of Seawell School Road near […]
›