ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The City of St. Augustine announced its new fire chief Tuesday.
Carlos Aviles was appointed Fire Chief of the City of St. Augustine effective September 1.
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Aviles, who will replace retiring Chief JC Costeira, joined the department in May 2005.
A native of the Orlando area, Aviles is active in the U.S. Army Reserve following a career in the U.S. Army Military Police that included tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Aviles was promoted to the position of Fire Lieutenant in 2010.
While obtaining an Associate of Arts degree in Fire Service from Keiser University in 2013, Aviles was also promoted to Fire Captain.
“The St. Augustine Fire Department has a unique challenge because it has the responsibility to keep safe a very unique city,” said John Regan, St. Augustine City Manager. “We have a treasure of historic properties, we have narrow streets, we have millions of visitors, in addition to our living and vibrant city. It takes a special person be to a St. Augustine firefighter and a special person to lead that department. Because of his strong leadership skills and his commitment to professionalism and his commitment to excellence, I am confident Carlos will serve the department and our city well.”
Aviles has obtained a number of certifications including HAZMAT Technician, Live Fire Instructor, and Marine Rescue Technician and was responsible for completing applications for FEMA and Firehouse Public Safety Grants that secured over $55,000 in additional funding for the department.
“It is my fundamental belief that our firefighters should be at their best when our community is at their worst. I not only believe this statement to be true”, said Aviles, “but as Fire Chief, I will set this example and motivate others to follow suit.”