JERSEY CITY, NJ - Active and retired firefighters, family and friends assembled at City Hall on the morning of August 1^st for the swearing in of the city's new fire chief. A thirty-year veteran of the F.D.J.C., Jack Johnson, took the oath of office administered by Mayor Steve Fulop. He is now in charge of the largest municipal fire department in the state. 

Chief Johnson replaced retired Chief of Department Stephan Drennan, who served the city for over 40-years.  

Since he was 7-years-old, Johnson aspired to become a city firefighter. He attained his goal and rose through the ranks.  In 2016, he was named Fire Officer of the Year for rescuing two families from a burning building in the Greenville section of the city. His assignments over the years included special operations chief in charge of the Rescue, Hazmat and Marine Divisions. Recently, he was the tour commander of Group “D.” In addition, he was part of the team of city firefighters who responded to Ground Zero following the terrorist attack on September 11^th, 2001.  

“Chief Johnson is at his very core what Jersey City is all about,” Fulop said. “He's been in the trenches, he's battled tested and he's proven his ability to lead when things are tough.”  

In an interesting note, the new chief has only missed two work days due to sickness in his 30-years.    

Johnson still remembers the day, at the age of seven, when he met then Chief of Department John Mullins.  

“I feel like that little kid living my dream,” Johnson said after he was sworn in.