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Xenia honors Fire & EMS Chief Kenneth E. Rigsby after 42 years of service
Summary
Council adopted a unanimous resolution recognizing Chief Kenneth E. Rigsby’s 42-year fire and emergency career and his leadership of Xenia Fire & EMS; Chief Rigsby will retire effective May 2, 2025.
Xenia City Council on April 24 adopted a resolution honoring Fire & EMS Chief Kenneth E. Rigsby upon his retirement, recording a public recognition of his 42 years in fire service and listing career milestones and grant successes.
Chief Rigsby’s service record cited in the council’s resolution begins with his hire as a city firefighter effective May 1, 1983, and traces promotions to lieutenant (May 13, 1998), captain (June 8, 2003), deputy fire chief (Nov. 1, 2009) and fire chief (Sept. 23, 2011). The resolution credits him with work on aided dispatch and the Public Safety Information Sharing Network (PSISN), securing SAFER grant staffing increases and other grants, guiding training and professional-development initiatives, and securing approximately $365,000 in 2022 in grant funding to purchase SCBAs and air control equipment.
Mayor Will Urschel read the resolution in full and led the council in adopting it by unanimous roll call. After the council’s remarks, Chief Rigsby addressed the gathering, saying in part, “I appreciate everything. It’s been a good call…and if I had to do it all over again, I’d do it,” and added that the only major goal left undone was procuring a replacement fire station (he said staff have made interim living-quarters improvements).
The resolution notes Chief Rigsby’s countywide and regional service roles — including Greene County Fire Chiefs president and PSISN board and administrative committee membership — and recognizes his community and church involvement. Council directed that the resolution be placed in the city’s permanent records and recorded Chief Rigsby’s retirement effective May 2, 2025.
Why it matters: The resolution records institutional continuity in public safety leadership and notes investments Chief Rigsby led or secured that affect staffing and equipment. Council and staff emphasized his mentoring role and the division’s recent organizational changes, including addition of a second deputy fire chief earlier in 2025.
Provenance: the resolution reading and remarks by council and Chief Rigsby are on the official meeting transcript and recorded in the minutes.
