East Lake Fire Rescue holding a change of command ceremony on Monday, June 28 to mark a change in leadership at East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District. 

**The ceremony will be live streamed on the East Lake Fire Rescue Facebook page**

Fire Chief Tom Jamison will pass command of the department to incoming Fire Chief Jason Gennaro at a 10 a.m. ceremony at the Calvary Church East Lake Campus, located at 1190 East Lake Road in Tarpon Springs. The Change of Command ceremony is the symbolic movement of leadership and command between the two fire service officers. 

Guests at the ceremony will include East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District Fire Commissioners; state elected officials; members of local law enforcement agencies and fire departments; and community partners. The ceremony will begin with a presentation of colors by the Palm Harbor Honor Guard and include honoring three retirees and recognizing 12 district promotions. The ceremony will also include the passing of the district “speaking trumpet” from Chief Jamison to Chief Gennaro. Speaking trumpets, or bugles, were historically used before the advent of modern communication tools as a means of calling orders to the firefighters on the scene of fires.

Chief Jamison is a 29-year fire and EMS service veteran and was East Lake Fire Rescue’s fire chief from 2011 to 2021.

East Lake Fire Commissioner Kevin Kenney received the chief’s retirement notice in March of this year.  “Chief Jamison is finishing a remarkable and distinguished career of service to the citizens of East Lake” said Commissioner Kenney.  Kenney went on to mention “We are grateful for the organizational achievements that were accomplished during his years as chief, including becoming the Florida Association of Special Districts (FASD) Manager of the Year in 2017; East Lake’s selection as FASD District of the Year in 2019 and  earning the FASD Safety Award in 2020; creation of organizational mission, vision, and values; and boosting staffing levels to improve firefighter safety and provide better service to the residents of East Lake.”  
 
Gennaro will oversee East Lake Fire Rescue’s $8 million budget and 42 employees in three fire stations serving the East Lake community. Operations include fire suppression, rescue, prevention, public education, hazardous materials response, and emergency medical services to the community. 
 
Gennaro started his professional career 29 years ago, when he volunteered for Northwest Hernando County Fire Department. He became a professional firefighter less than a year later, then transferred to Pasco County Fire Rescue where he was a Firefighter-Paramedic until 1996. He started serving the East Lake community as a Firefighter-Paramedic in 1996 and worked as a Driver-Engineer, Lieutenant, and Deputy Chief.
 
Gennaro holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from Troy University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Hodges University.  He also completed the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program and FASD Certified District Manager program. 

“It will be an honor to lead the men and women of East Lake Fire Rescue and to serve the East Lake community,” said Gennaro. “I look forward to developing long-lasting relationships with East Lake district personnel, fire commissioners, residents, and district partners to achieve the mission of serving our community with the highest level of care, protection, and education.”

Jason Gennaro

Deputy Chief, East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District

Office number: 727.784.8668

E-mail: jgennaro@elfr.org