- High Springs appointed Capt. Kevin Pearson as interim fire chief after Chief Joseph Peters fully stepped down two months ago.
- Three departments in High Springs, including fire and public works, are currently led by interim leaders pending permanent hires.
- Pearson started as a volunteer firefighter in 2010 and has been promoted to captain; he has aided disaster recovery efforts statewide.
Leadership changes continue in High Springs, where the city appointed Capt. Kevin Pearson as interim fire chief on Saturday.
The assignment came nearly two months after Chief Joseph Peters cut back to part-time and picked up full-time work as a captain with Suwannee County Fire Rescue. Peters has since fully stepped down as the High Springs Fire Department chief.
Three High Springs departments are currently being led by interim leadership until the positions can be permanently filled.
The city is searching for a new manager after the City Commission negotiated a $15,000 settlement to fire Jeremy Marshall last month. Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Applebee is serving as interim city manager.
Mike Gobczynski continues serving as interim public works director, a position that opened after Jason Kytle’s resignation in February. The city recently hired Leslie Moyer as its new finance director in June following six months of temporary leadership.
According to a press release from the city of High Springs, Pearson is the most senior member of the fire department and will serve as interim Chief while the city evaluates the department’s long-term needs.
“The decision to appoint Mr. Pearson as interim Fire Chief was made after carefully considering the needs of the department and the community,” Applebee said in the release. “Chief Pearson’s objectives and vision for the department give me confidence that he is the right leader for the job.”
The release said Pearson comes from a family of public safety-focused members, including his father and two brothers who built careers in law enforcement.
The 39-year-old started his fire career as a volunteer with the High Springs Fire Department in 2010. Subsequent promotions included lieutenant in 2015 and captain in 2022.
The city said Pearson has demonstrated his commitment to service at home and around the state, deploying multiple times to aid disaster recovery efforts.
“Working at the High Springs Fire Department has been the most fulfilling job I could ask for. I am honored to serve the community my family and I call home,” said Pearson in the release. “At the end of the day, I think actions speak louder than words. I look forward to the residents and visitors of High Springs seeing our actions.”