By Mike Kinney
On Friday, March 28, the Richmond Fire Department held a badge pinning ceremony in Richmond City Council Chambers to officially promote members Rico Rincon, Alexis Reed, Dante Wiley, Brandon Perry, Drew Alees and Mike Velazquez.
Rincon was elevated to deputy fire chief, which is the second in command at the RFD.
Fire Chief Aaron Osorio said he was hired alongside Rincon 22 years ago at RFD and they becan rising up the ranks together. Osorio said Rincon is highly qualified for the job.
“He is very knowledgeable about the operations crew and training divisions he will be responsible for,” the fire chief said. “He is my right-hand man, and we are all very proud of him. Plus, Rico was born and raised in Richmond, so he has a great love for Richmond.”
Rincon called the promotion “deeply personal.”
“To now step into this leadership role is both humbling and motivating, and I don’t take the responsibility lightly,” he said. “My priority is to continue building a fire department that reflects the strength, resilience and pride of this community. I’m committed to serving our firefighters, improving our service delivery and ensuring we remain ready to meet every challenge. Because this isn’t just where I work, Richmond is home.”
Other individuals promoted included 13-year RFD veteran and newly promoted captain Perry and 12-year veteran and new captain Alees. Reed, who has also served a dozen years at RFD, was promoted from the rank of firefighter to fire inspector. Wiley was promoted from fire inspector to fire marshal. Velazquez, who has served eight years, was promoted to battalion chief.
