City Council Confirms JFRD Leadership Appointments

August 26, 2025

On August 26, 2025, the Jacksonville City Council confirmed three leadership appointments to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. Each leader’s story reflects JFRD’s tradition of service and serves as inspiration for the next generation of first responders.

Chief Percy Golden II – Director/Fire Chief
Chief Golden is a Jacksonville native and a second-generation JFRD firefighter. He joined the department in 2003 and advanced from Firefighter to Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Division Chief, and now Director/Fire Chief. With degrees in nursing and emergency management, he combines a clinical background with operational leadership. His service has included coordinating the city’s COVID-19 response, strengthening hospital partnerships, and securing millions in grants to enhance JFRD’s equipment, training, and community outreach. Today, he leads more than 1,800 personnel across 68 stations, carrying forward both his family’s legacy and JFRD’s commitment to innovation and public safety.

Chief Jacob “Jake” Blanton – Deputy Director/Fire Chief
Chief Blanton began his career in 1994 as a 911 dispatcher before becoming a firefighter and paramedic. Over three decades, he advanced through the ranks to Lieutenant, Captain, District Chief, and Division Chief. His leadership has shaped JFRD’s rescue operations, from EMS oversight to the development of programs such as the Critical Care Paramedic initiative and the Mobile Stroke Transport Unit. With his confirmation as Deputy Director/Fire Chief, he now serves as second in command of the department he has helped build and strengthen throughout his career.

Chief M. Dallas Cooke – Division Chief of Rescue
Chief Cooke joined JFRD in 2009 and rose from Firefighter to Captain before her appointment as Division Chief of Rescue in July 2025. She is the first African American female to hold an executive-level position in the department’s history. Chief Cooke holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and is a board-certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurse as well as a firefighter paramedic. Her dual background in emergency response and clinical practice brings a unique perspective to her leadership. She has played an important role in programs such as REVAMP Duval, which aids in the safe return of vulnerable residents. Today, she oversees a fleet of advanced life support transport units, including Critical Care Rescues and Jacksonville’s first Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit.

Chiefs Golden, Blanton, and Cooke represent the strength of JFRD’s tradition and the promise of its future. Their journeys show how service, perseverance, and leadership can shape both careers and communities.