Oxnard Fire Chief Alexander Hamilton announced today that following 21 years of service in Oxnard, he will retire on November 19, 2026. As part of the department’s leadership transition, City Manager Alexander Nguyen is appointing Battalion Chief John Albin as the department’s next Fire Chief.
“Even before Alex became Oxnard’s Fire Chief, he was bringing innovation to the department, especially for increased awareness around cancer-causing conditions and prevention, and mental health and suicide prevention care for public safety personnel,” said Nguyen. “As Oxnard’s Chief, one of his highlights is advocating for the creation of Oxnard’s EMS Corps program, which will serve our community for generations to come.”
Albin brings over three decades of fire service experience to the role, including 28 years with the Oxnard Fire Department. He joined the department as a firefighter in 1998 and rose through the ranks, promoting from Firefighter to Fire Engineer in 2002, Fire Captain in 2011 and Battalion Chief in 2025, when he was selected to establish and lead the department’s newly created Support Services Division, which manages fleet, facilities, technology, logistics, purchasing, and peer support.
Since 2013, Albin has helped build and lead the department’s Peer Support Program, and serves as a statewide Subject Matter Expert on firefighter peer-based suicide awareness. He is also a member of the department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team and has commanded crews on the Maria, Mountain, and Palisades incidents. He previously served in leadership roles in the Oxnard Firefighters Association. Albin holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from UC Santa Barbara and completed the California Fire Chiefs Association Fire Chiefs Academy in 2026.
“It will be a privilege to serve as your Fire Chief,” said Albin. “I’ve had the opportunity to experience this department from many different roles, and each one has given me a distinct understanding of what our community and our employees need. My priorities will be to fortify what is currently working, lean into honest conversations about where we can improve, and actively develop the next generation of leaders who will continue to protect the Oxnard community with excellence.”
As Fire Chief, Albin will lead 176 department employees and oversee operations across eight fire stations. His priorities will include developing future leaders, strengthening community partnerships, and expanding prevention and community risk reduction efforts.
During Chief Hamilton’s tenure, the department has experienced significant improvements to emergency response, community safety and workforce development. The department has reduced EMS response times by more than 20% and secured FEMA funding that led to the installation of more than 25,000 smoke alarms in Oxnard homes. Hamilton also introduced the Oxnard EMS Corps workforce development program, which prepares local young adults for careers in emergency medical services. Today, 89% of the graduates from the first two cohorts are either employed in emergency medical services or continuing their education.
In his retirement announcement, Chief Hamilton stated, “Serving as Oxnard’s Fire Chief for the past six years has been an incredible experience. It has been an honor to lead a department of such dedicated public servants, and I am very grateful to the City of Oxnard and this community for the opportunities it has given me. John Albin will do a fantastic job continuing to provide incredible service to this community.”