Written by Laura Christmas 

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — Clay County is launching a nationwide search for its next fire rescue chief, as Chief Lorin Mock plans his retirement in April 2027.  

At a glance

Chief Mock led Clay County Fire Rescue for more than 16 years, and his career as a first responder spanned more than 40 years. Chief Mock joined Clay County Fire Rescue in 2009 after he served for 27 years with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, where he held senior leadership positions in fire operations and emergency management. 

His position will be advertised beginning August 10, 2026, through national, state, and regional public safety and local government recruitment networks. The county is seeking candidates with demonstrated executive leadership experience in a complex fire rescue organization, including fire suppression, emergency medical services, emergency management, labor relations, strategic planning, fiscal management, capital planning, and organizational development. 

“Chief Mock has fundamentally strengthened Clay County Fire Rescue and prepared the department to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community,” said County Manager Howard Wanamaker, “This nationwide search reflects both the importance of the position and our commitment to finding an exceptional leader who can build upon the strong foundation Chief Mock and the members of Clay County Fire Rescue have established.” 

Under Chief Mock’s leadership, Clay County Fire Rescue expanded its capabilities, strengthened firefighter health and safety programs, modernized facilities and equipment, and developed innovative approaches to emergency medical care and community health. Under his tenure, the county helped establish a comprehensive mental health program for first responders and advance the department’s award-winning Community Paramedicine program, including initiatives addressing opioid addiction and expanding public access to automated external defibrillators and NARCAN. 

Chief Mock also helped guide a major expansion and modernization of the county’s public safety infrastructure. In 2024, the Board of County Commissioners approved $65 million in financing for new and replacement fire stations, a fire training facility, and public safety communications infrastructure. The program includes new and replacement stations designed around modern operational requirements and firefighter health protections, including contaminant-control areas, vehicle exhaust systems, equipment extractors, improved station alerting, and spaces that support the mental and physical well-being of personnel. 

Among the projects advanced during his tenure is the new Fire Station 20 in Green Cove Springs, which opened in 2025 as a state-of-the-art facility with expanded space for personnel, apparatus, and equipment. The station is also home to Clay County’s first 9/11 Memorial, featuring structural steel recovered from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Additional stations and public safety facilities are currently under construction or development throughout the County. 

Chief Mock’s emphasis on responsible stewardship has also supported innovative and cost-effective equipment decisions. In 2025, Clay County Fire Rescue acquired Heavy Rescue 15, a specialized technical-rescue vehicle, for approximately $700,000 less than the anticipated cost of purchasing a comparable new apparatus while avoiding an estimated 18- to 24-month manufacturing period. 

In recognition of his contributions, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association selected Chief Mock as the 2024 recipient of the Frank A. Babinec Lifetime Achievement Award in Firefighter Safety and Health. The award recognizes fire service professionals who have made an extraordinary impact on the physical, mental, and overall well-being of firefighters and the public. The Association highlighted Chief Mock’s work in firefighter mental health, community paramedicine, opioid response, domestic security, leadership development, and health-conscious fire station design. 

Chief Mock has also served on Florida’s Domestic Security Oversight Council, chaired the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association Domestic Security Resource Committee, and developed an emergency management course for the Association’s Executive Services Leadership Institute to help prepare future fire service leaders. 

“It has been the honor of my career to serve the citizens of Clay County and to work alongside the dedicated men and women of Clay County Fire Rescue,” Chief Mock said. “The accomplishments of this department belong to the firefighters, dispatchers, emergency management professionals, support staff, county leadership, and community partners who work every day to protect our communities. I am proud of what we have built together and confident that the department is positioned for continued success.” 

Clay County Fire Rescue is an all-hazards public safety organization providing fire suppression, advanced life support and emergency medical services, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, emergency communications, emergency management, fire prevention, and community risk-reduction services. The department serves a growing and diverse community encompassing urban, suburban, rural, waterfront, and wildland environments. 

The county will use a structured, multiphase selection process that includes minimum-qualification screening, an executive review, standardized candidate evaluations, panel interviews, and on-site assessments for the leading candidates. The county manager will retain final appointment authority. The process is intended to select the new fire chief by mid-to late December, followed by an anticipated 30-to 60-day onboarding period and a structured transition with Chief Mock. 

Qualified candidates from throughout Florida and across the nation are encouraged to apply. The county will accept applications through September 25, 2026.