New Boerne Fire Chief announced

BOERNE– There will be a new fire chief in town after former Boerne Fire Chief Ray Hacker announced his retirement last year, and city officials have officially named his replacement.

With teaching, service, and excellence at the heart of his resume, City Manager Ben Thatcher announced Friday, March 3, 2023, that Manuel “Manny” M. Casarez has been hired as the next Fire Chief for the Boerne Fire Department.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Casarez, 40, will join the City of Boerne on March 27, 2023, from the Universal City Fire Department where he has served as Fire Chief since 2016. Over the course of his career, he has been a volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician, and has extensive experience teaching and serving in management and administrative capacities. Upon joining the Universal City Fire Department in 2004 as a volunteer, he was hired on in a full-time capacity in 2006, was promoted to lieutenant the following year, and became chief seven years ago. During this time, Casarez has been a lead instructor, program coordinator, and adjunct faculty member at San Antonio College’s Fire Science Program.

“We had an extensive and impressive list of applicants for the position of Fire Chief,” Thatcher said. “Through the interview process it became apparent that Manny has the right blend of skills and talents to fit perfectly into our organizational culture and lead our growing department into the future.”