Jupiter's first fire chief comes with 43 years of experience.
Palm Beach Fire Chief Darrel Donatto, 60, will be donning his new helmet Jan. 29 and said he is ready to hit the ground running.
He will be establishing a new fire rescue department slated to begin operations Oct. 1, 2026.
Donatto announced he will be retiring from the town of Palm Beach on Jan. 26 — a day after his 61st birthday, WPTV reported.
He spent 20 years at the department and the last five as fire chief and director of emergency management.
"I am honored to be here today as the first fire chief in the town of Jupiter's Fire Rescue Department. I look forward to bringing my 43 years of fire and emergency medical experiences to the town of Jupiter," he said in a video posted by the town.
In 2015, Palm Beach achieved an ISO Class 1 rating, the highest possible rating bestowed upon a department by the Insurance Services Office.
Previous honors include the Florida Fire Chief’s Association Fire Chief of the Year, which he also received from the State of Florida State Fire Marshal's Office in 2017.
In anticipation of their new department, Jupiter officials took delivery of a new fire truck last month. Described as a plain Jane by local firefighters, it doesn't have a front-mounted pump which other departments have.
Jupiter officials decided to create its own department after spending $25.8 million last year for Palm Beach County to provide services, a 22.8 percent increase from 2022. .
A consultant said Jupiter would save $68 million over eight years by providing its own service.
They plan to hire 93 people and puchase more apparatus.
