By SDCN Staff
Oceanside, CA–The City of Oceanside announced that Deputy Chief Jessamyn “Jess” Specht has been selected as the city’s next fire chief, succeeding Chief Dave Parsons, who retired on June 19, following 25 years of dedicated service to the Oceanside Fire Department.
Chief Parsons joined Oceanside Fire in 2001 and built a career that took him from firefighter and paramedic to fire captain, division chief, and ultimately fire chief. During his four years leading the department, he oversaw the opening of new Fire Station 1 and Fire Station 9, strengthened the city’s emergency preparedness programs, and launched the Oceanside Fire Department’s Hand Crew, funded through Measure X revenue. In total, he spent 31 dedicated years in the fire service.
Specht assumed the role of fire chief after the retirement of Chief Parsons. He joined the Oceanside Fire Department in 2003 as a firefighter and paramedic and has served the department for 23 years, rising through the ranks as fire captain, battalion chief, division chief, and deputy fire chief. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Master of Homeland Security and Public Health Preparedness from Penn State University. He served as Strike Team Leader during the 2017 Lilac Fire and as Operations Section chief during the 2024 Pier Fire, and he led the department’s 2024 Standards of Cover Study.
As fire chief, Specht’s priorities include investing in training and mentorship for a growing department, expanding the Lifeguard Division in response to rising beach visitor demand, and continuing efforts to support the physical and mental health of the city’s fire personnel.
“It is hard to overstate the positive impact that Chief Parsons has had on our community,” said City Manager Jonathan Borrego. “He established a strong work culture centered on professionalism and service to our community. His focus on succession planning led us to the admirable position of being able to select the next chief from within the organization, ensuring leadership continuity as we face the future. Chief Parsons is handing the baton to someone with deep experience in Oceanside and who has earned this moment. Jess Specht knows the Department and the Oceanside community inside and out, and I’m looking forward to his leadership. Oceanside Fire is in great hands.”
