Rio Rancho fire chief announces retirement, names successor

RIO RANCHO — The community in Mariposa celebrated Firefighters Appreciation Day last weekend where Rio Rancho Fire Chief James DeFillipppo announced his retirement.

The Mariposa Neighborhood association talked a great deal about the history of the appreciation day and specifically thanked some of the firefighters present at the event, including Rio Rancho Fire Chief James DeFillippo and Deputy Chief James Wenzel, who had some news to share with the community during the May 4 celebration.

Before the chief came up to speak, the association stated that DeFillippo has retirement plans for August of this year. DeFillippo confirmed that he is aiming for an Aug. 28 retirement. He said his plans are to spend more quality time with his wife and two sons.

“It feels strange to be planning my retirement,” he said.

DeFillippo began his career with Rio Rancho Fire Rescue in 1999 as a firefighter and EMT. Throughout his career, he served in the roles of firefighter, paramedic, captain and deputy chief before being appointed as fire chief in 2021.

DeFillippo humbly thanked the association, saying the day of appreciation for firefighters wasn’t just for him but that he appreciated the thought.

“Over the course of being fire chief for the last four years and being a Rio Rancho firefighter for the last 26, it has been in honor for me to work for the city of Rio Rancho, a place where I grew up as a kid,” he said.

DeFillippo said he moved to Rio Rancho in 1980 with his family. At the time, Rio Rancho was barely beginning and was a small community of houses, he said.

“I’ve gotten to see Rio Rancho grow from a tiny town to the the booming community that it is now,” he added.

He talked about how “instrumental” the Mariposa Fire Station opening has been for the department. “When it was closed, it was a tough time for all of us. Those of you that lived here in that time, it was difficult to continue to keep it staffed ... So, when I became fire chief, that was my number-one priority was to get Mariposa back open with 24/7 staff,” he said.

But the station has more meaning to DeFillippo than just one of the several stations under his command.

“A little tidbit of information: I was actually stationed out here in Mariposa in 2010, when the station was opened, when I first promoted to captain. So this community does have a special place in my heart, and I love coming back out here and watching it thrive,” he said.

He used his position as speaker to confirm his retirement and promote his successor, Wenzel.

“He’s incredible, and he has really taken the bull by the horns. Initially, when we talked about me phasing out and hiring a new chief, he made it very clear that that he was the choice to move the fire department into the future. I couldn’t be more proud of this man taking the reins and me getting somebody to pass the torch to, like James, because I know that he’ll continue to develop this fire station out in Mariposa and all fire stations across Rio Rancho,” he said.

He added that Wenzel has a lot of work ahead of him “to lead the men and women of Rio Rancho Fire Rescue.”

Wenzel admitted that he has “big shoes to fill.”

“But I’m extremely excited, and the community that we have out here in Mariposa just makes it that much more enjoyable. I, too, was actually out here. In 2009, I started my career out in Mariposa,” he said.

He said it is an exciting time for the city.

“The department that I’m inheriting from Chief is, as he said, a premier department. We’re very excited for some of the the next incentives and initiatives that we have,” he said.

He also hinted at more stations and staff coming to Rio Rancho. DeFillippo mentioned a new station near the intersection of Southern and Unser boulevards.