San Marcos Fire Marshal Jonathan Henderson has been promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal for the San Marcos Fire Department. Henderson, who has served with the San Marcos Fire Department for 15 years, was appointed as Fire Marshal in April 2023. Prior to his appointment, he served in the role on an interim basis for nearly two years.
“Jonathan’s promotion to the rank of Assistant Chief is a testament to his dedication to the San Marcos Fire Department and his service to our community,” said San Marcos Fire Chief Les Stephens. “I have been extremely impressed by his leadership and the work he has done within the Fire Prevention Division, and I look forward to what he will continue to do in his new role as an Assistant Chief.”
During his career, Henderson has served in every rank. He was assigned to the operations division for 10 years before transitioning to the newly formed Fire Prevention Division in 2018. As Fire Marshal, Henderson is responsible for enhancing safety in the community by providing fire code enforcement, fire prevention education, fire cause and origin investigation, conducting inspections, and enforcing code compliance.
“Jonathan is solution-oriented and has demonstrated outstanding collaboration and communications skills when working with residents and other city departments,” said Assistant City Manager Chase Stapp. “He is a true public servant who continues to lead meaningful change in our community through hard work and problem solving.”
In October 2022, Henderson served on the multi-agency task force charged with investigating the 2018 fire that occurred at the Iconic Village Apartments and killed five people. The task force’s investigation led to the identification and arrest of a suspect. Henderson was also a part of the team that created the Department’s award-winning Apartment Inventory Program, which helped address multiple fire code violations and was recognized by the Texas Fire Chiefs Associations’ Fire Safety Award in 2022.
“Jonathan has proven to be an asset to the City of San Marcos team,” said City Manager Stephanie Reyes. “I am confident he will continue to improve safety in our community in this important role as Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal.”
Henderson holds numerous certifications from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection including master firefighter, master arson investigator, master inspector, office IV, and instructor III. He also holds certifications as a paramedic, intermediate peace officer, and firearms instructor. Henderson received an associate degree in fire science from San Antonio College and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
For media inquiries, contact communicationsinfo@sanmarcostx.gov.
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