Jupiter Fire Rescue Is Now in Service — the Town Controls Its Own Emergency Response for the First Time in Decades

Just before midnight on September 30, Fire Chief Darrel Donatto stepped to the radio at the Jupiter fire station and made the call that changed everything.

"Jupiter Fire Rescue is in service and ready to answer the call."

With those words, the Town of Jupiter assumed full responsibility for its own fire suppression and emergency medical services — something it hadn't had in decades. As of 12 a.m. on October 1, 2026, the new Jupiter Fire Rescue Department is operational across three stations in town, and the arrangement with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue that had served Jupiter for years came to an end.

For residents, the practical change is minimal: 911 is still the number to call, and the response will still be fast. But who shows up is different now. Calls will be dispatched to Jupiter Fire Rescue crews in Jupiter Fire Rescue engines — a municipal department the town owns, staffs, and controls directly.

The transition was months in the making. Firefighters were sworn in, new fire engines went through the traditional "push-in" ceremony, and the department built out its operational structure before the October 1 launch. Thursday night's ceremony at the fire station drew firefighters and community members to mark the moment formally.

Chief Donatto spoke at the ceremony before making the inaugural radio call. "Jupiter Fire Rescue will assume official responsibility for providing fire and emergency services to this community," he said. "We gather here to recognize those who came before us and to reflect on the responsibility that we now inherit and to reaffirm the mission and principles that will guide this department from its very first call."

The transition gives Jupiter something that many growing municipalities in South Florida have sought: local control. Rather than relying on the county system, Jupiter now sets its own staffing levels, purchasing decisions, and department policies. For a town that has seen significant growth in recent years, that direct accountability matters.