Elmira Fire Chief Andrew Mallow Announces Retirement

Mallow has served the Elmira Fire Department for 27 years, including the last 3.5 as Chief.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 3:48pm

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Elmira Fire Chief Andrew Mallow has announced his retirement after 27 years of service with the Elmira Fire Department. Mallow was promoted to Fire Chief around 3.5 years ago and has made a lasting impact on the department and the city during his tenure.

Why it matters

Chief Mallow's retirement marks the end of an era for the Elmira Fire Department. As a long-serving member of the department who rose through the ranks to become Fire Chief, his departure will leave a significant void that the city will need to fill.

The details

Chief Mallow started with the Elmira Fire Department in March 1999 and was promoted to Lieutenant in June 2019. He then became Fire Marshal in June 2022 before being named Fire Chief in August 2022. In addition to his fire department roles, Mallow was also an entrepreneur, founding Mallow Construction in 1997 and MCS Woodworking in 2014, though the latter had to close in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Mallow started with the Elmira Fire Department in March 1999.
  • Mallow was promoted to Lieutenant in June 2019.
  • Mallow became Fire Marshal in June 2022.
  • Mallow was named Fire Chief in August 2022.
  • Mallow is announcing his retirement, though an official retirement date has not been provided.

The players

Andrew Mallow

The retiring Fire Chief of the Elmira Fire Department, who has served the department for 27 years.

Elmira Fire Department

The fire department in Elmira, New York, where Andrew Mallow has served for 27 years, including the last 3.5 as Fire Chief.

Chemung County Fire/Emergency Management

The organization that made the Facebook post announcing Mallow's retirement from the Elmira Fire Department.

City of Elmira

The city where the Elmira Fire Department is located and where Mallow has served as a firefighter and fire chief.

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The takeaway

Chief Mallow's retirement marks the end of an era for the Elmira Fire Department, as he has been a long-serving and respected member of the department who rose through the ranks to become Fire Chief. His departure will leave a significant void that the city will need to fill, underscoring the importance of succession planning and leadership development within the fire service.