Mayor Fulop Appoints Acting Chief Stephan Drennan to Lead NJ’s Largest Municipal Fire Department

Drennan Family Legacy Spans 3 Generations and over 500 Years of Collective Service on the JCFD

JERSEY CITY, NJ – Mayor Steven M. Fulop announces the recent appointment of Stephan Drennan to the position of Acting Fire Chief of New Jersey’s largest municipal Fire Department.  Since joining the Jersey City Fire Department (JCFD) in 1982, Acting Chief Drennan has distinguishably served the Jersey City community where he was born and raised for over 40 years.

His appointment to the JCFD’s highest rank is especially meaningful for the Drennan family.  To date, the Drennan legacy spans three generations, including 17 members of the family collectively serving the JCFD for over 500 years, including Stephan’s father, son, uncles, and cousins.

“The Drennan family has a long and proud history of service throughout Jersey City, and I have no doubt that Stephan Drennan will continue to lead our great fire department at the highest standard we have worked so hard to achieve,”  said Mayor Fulop. “Stephan’s appointment is a testament to his dedication to the fire service and protecting our community over the past four decades where he has gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

This announcement follows the retirement of Chief Steven McGill, who proudly served on the Jersey City Fire Department for over 35 years, including his last five years as Chief of the Department.  In 2022, the JCFD responded to over 14,000 calls for service.

Over the past ten years under the Fulop Administration, the Fire Department has grown significantly to its largest size in decades with enhanced life-saving training and modernized tools to provide the best protection possible for the safety of our residents and firefighters citywide.

“I am honored and humbled for the opportunity to lead the best fire department in New Jersey,” said Acting Chief Drennan.  “When my father was hired as a firefighter in 1959, the year I was born, never did my family imagine a Drennan would one day be appointed to the role of Fire Department Chief.  I know it is an awesome responsibility, and I hope to pay tribute to my father and uncles, all of whom were Army Veterans born and raised in Jersey City.  They blazed the way for me, my son, and all 10 of my cousins.  We stand on their shoulders.”

Throughout his 40-plus-year career, Acting Chief Drennan has exceeded the call of duty to provide the Jersey City community with exceptional fire protection.  He has extensive qualifications in all special operations ranging from Structural Collapse Rescue Specialist to Swift Water Rescue Operations and everything in between.  He also reached top rank as Rescue Manager and was most recently a Lead Instructor for New Jersey Task Force 1.

Notably, Drennan spent 15 years as the Rescue Company One Captain and 5 years as the Fourth Battalion Chief.  As a Deputy Chief, he served as the Chief of Training before earning this latest promotion.

The New Jersey Civil Service test to appoint a permanent Fire Department Chief is currently pending.