Pittsburgh’s fire chief found his burning desire in Aliquippa
Darryl E. Jones became Pittsburgh’s first Black fire chief in September 2007. What many people don’t know is that he found his calling in his hometown of Aliquippa.
After a 20-year tenure with the Aliquippa Fire Department, including 12 years as chief, Jones moved into the big-city position first as assistant chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire in July 2007. After just two months in that role, he was appointed chief by thenMayor Luke Ravenstahl. He next worked with Mayor Bill Peduto and currently works with the city’s first African American mayor, Ed Gainey.
“It’s been a great experience and an honor,” said Jones, who started as a volunteer firefighter in his Beaver County birthplace in 1986.
Growing up in a middle-class family in the predominately Black section of town known as Plan 11 Extension, specifically on Griffith Street, the future chief and his brother, Robert, were the only two children of Edward Jones and Delores (Sligh) Jones.
His father was an Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient during the Korean War who later worked at J&L Steel. Edward Jones also owned Big J Printing Co. on Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa’s main street.
His mother was one of the first Black tellers at Mellon Bank, which later became Citizens Bank. Both his parents are deceased.
Jones grew up in a football-crazy town that has produced NFL Hall of Famers Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett, Ty Law and Darrelle Revis.
“I played football as a youth, but I never envisioned any type of pro career,” he said.
Instead, his parents focused on academics; Jones and his brother transferred from Aliquippa High School to Quigley Academy, a Catholic high school in Baden.
After graduating from Quigley in 1978, Jones joined the Marines and spent eight years at Parris Island in South Carolina, living out
the Marines’ motto, Semper Fidelis, which means “always faithful.”
Following his time in the military, Jones returned home to Aliquippa. “I needed a job,” he explained.
He heard the city was looking for firefighters.
“I stand on the shoulders of Aliquippa’s first two African American firefighters, Teola Patillo and Johnny Josey Sr.,” he said. “I often spoke to both of them about their experiences as firefighters when they started in the late 1960s and ’70s.”
Josey left after a short stint due to what he described as consistent and relentless racism within the firefighters’ ranks. He chose to return to J&L and finished his career at U.S. Airways.
Patillo stayed and became an influential union representative before his retirement. Patillo helped prepare him for leadership positions, Jones said.
Aliquippa Mayor Dwan B. Walker, the city’s first Black mayor, is quick to praise Pittsburgh’s fire chief as an Aliquippa native who has done well.
“The City of Pittsburgh is in good hands with Chief Darryl at the helm,” said Walker, a real estate agent who is in his third term as mayor.
“For Chief Jones to rise up from our small Beaver County town is a powerful testimony to the hard work
and dedication he has demonstrated throughout his fantastic career. In his leadership roles, he has consistently been respected for his decision-making and
knowledge. This is huge.
“I’ve known Chief Jones, his brother, Rob, and parents all my life. You cannot ask for a better family,” the mayor added.
Jones said the foundation for his success was built in Beaver County.
“Aliquippa makes you stronger,” he said. “I was raised in the church, with parents who had high expectations for me and my brother. They really believed in education.”
He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Carlow University, a master’s degree in public management from Carnegie Mellon University and a doctorate in public safety from Capella University in Minneapolis, all earned after he left the Marines.
“In Aliquippa, we grew up with a never give up attitude — no matter what the odds and whatever it takes, you knew you had to do your best,” he said.
With a $93 million annual operating budget, Pittsburgh’s fire chief is in charge of 656 fire and emergency personnel.
He and his wife of 17 years, ReNe (Cokus) Jones are the parents of one son, Christian, 13. Although they reside in Brookline, the family often drives to Beaver County to attend his home church, Triedstone Baptist in Aliquippa, or his wife’s church in Ambridge, Holy TrinityGreek Orthodox.
“My family roots are still very strong in Beaver County,” Jones said.