City of Alexandria Fire and EMS Chief Corey Smedley was celebrated Jan. 9 at the Charles Houston Recreation Center as he officially retired from his position effective Jan. 12.

Smedley, who announced his retirement last November, helmed the Alexandria Fire Department for eight years. He began his career in public safety over 30 years ago, joining the AFD as the Deputy Chief of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in 2015. He was promoted to Assistant Chief and ultimately became the city’s first African American Fire/EMS Chief in July 2019. 

“Working for Chief Smedley has been an incredible experience,” said Senior Public Information Officer Raytevia Evans. “That is because of how great of a boss he is. He is very supportive and is an advocate for his employees and the community. It was easy to be the person who worked with him, collaborated with him and communicated with our community because he really cared about them.”

In announcing Smedley’s retirement, City Manager Jim Parajon praised the accomplishments achieved during Smedley’s tenure. These included guiding AFD through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, spearheading the build-out and opening of a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center, negotiating the inaugural collective bargaining 

agreement with IAFF Local 2141, improving staffing levels, diversity, and enhancing professional development and training, collaborating with the community to provide outstanding fire protection while maintaining zero fire fatalities, pioneering AFD’s efforts to start the accreditation process with the Center for Public Safety Excellence, finalizing construction of Fire Station 203 on Cameron Mills Road, collaborating with stakeholders to create an Alexandria Fire Foundation to support employees and their families, and further incorporating data analytics into decision making and improved communications.

“You always knew that Chief Smedley cared about what happened here,” said Evans, who worked with Smedley for six years. “He cared about the safety of the community but he also cared about the employees – he cared that they have a great work environment, that they enjoy their work and grow in their work. All of those things matter to him.”

James Schwartz will serve as Interim Fire Chief while the city conducts a national search for Smedley’s permanent successor. An Alexandria resident, Schwartz retired in 2021 as the Deputy County Manager for public safety and technology in Arlington. Prior to that, he served in the Arlington County Fire Department for 32 years, including the last 11 as Chief. 

Schwartz led the Unified Command effort at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, where ACFD was the lead responding agency to the terrorist attack that killed 184 people when American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon, killing all 64 people on the plane and 125 people in the Pentagon.

“One of the best things I’d like to be remembered for is building relationships and just engaging with  the community,” Smedley said. “This is one of the greatest communities in the world and I just love the city of Alexandria.”