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 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.

Featured image via Town of Chapel Hill

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

‹

House Fire In Chapel Hill Draws Response From Multiple Fire Departments

The Chapel Hill Fire Department was one of multiple departments and emergency response groups that responded to a house fire Thursday afternoon.

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 Fire: Gas Leak Closes Homestead Road on Monday

The Chapel Hill Fire Department responded to a gas leak along Homestead Road Monday morning, which closed the popular road. The department alerted the community to the leak shortly after 10 a.m., saying Homestead Road was closed between Weaver Dairy Road Extension and Seawell School Road. Dominion Energy, which is the gas supplier to the […]

UNC: Repairs on Marsico Hall Continuing Ahead of New Academic Year

After a fire broke out in a research lab months ago, UNC is still performing repairs within an academic and lab building. A university spokesperson confirmed to Chapelboro that Marsico Hall, which is located along Mason Farm Road and is near to the UNC Hospitals campus, is continuing to undergo restoration efforts following a brief […]

'I Thank God Every Day': Jamil Kadoura on Mediterranean Deli's Recovery After Fire

On Saturday, July 22, Chapel Hillians were shocked to hear that a beloved local institution had gone up in flames. Mediterranean Deli, a Franklin Street staple since 1992, had caught on fire. Firefighters were able to put out the blaze and nobody was seriously injured – but the fire did $3 million in damage to […]

'This is My Home': Med Deli Owner Shares Plans to Rebuild, Target Opening

A fire destroyed the Mediterranean Deli and Catering on Franklin Street, all employees got out of the building safely.

Chapel Hill, Durham Fire Departments Respond to Smoke at Red Roof Inn

A fire at a hotel near the Orange and Durham county lines led to the Chapel Hill and Durham Fire Departments teaming up on Wednesday morning.

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 […]

›