Chief Manuel C. Mena has served as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's (MDFR's) Fire Marshal since December of 2004. He is responsible for the life safety and code compliance efforts of unincorporated Miami Dade County and 30 municipalities under MDFR's fire rescue service jurisdiction.

As Fire Marshal, Chief Mena also supervises a staff of 150 uniformed and civilian personnel in command of MDFR's Fire Prevention Division, which is comprised of eight bureaus that deliver life safety and fire prevention services, including building plans review, systems engineering review, fire permit administration, fire inspections, fire investigations, public education and code compliance.

Chief Mena was hired in 1980 as an MDFR firefighter and was promoted though the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain until he earned his first appointment to Division Chief of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in 1993. As the EMS Division Chief until 1997, he was responsible for all of MDFR's emergency medical operations, which included medical direction and oversight, medical training, certification, research and development of medical equipment and technology, and occupational health and safety. 

From 1997 through 2004, Chief Mena served as the Division Chief of Airport Fire Rescue, managing all fire and rescue services at Miami International Airport (MIA) and OpaLocka Airport, whose combined traffic exceeded 100,000 passengers and 1,400 flight operations per day. One of the principal duties of this assignment was oversight of the Airport Life Safety Bureau, with responsibility for plans review, permitting and inspections relative to MIA's $4.8 billion Capital Improvement Program (CIP). 

Chief Mena earned an associate degree in Fire Science from Miami Dade Community College and maintains a current Florida State Paramedic Liscence, as well as certifications for Fire Service Inspector and Fire Service Instructor. He is a registered Master Electrical Contractor and Master Electrician, and he also holds the following professional memberships:

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Florida Fire Marshals & Inspectors Assocoation (FFMIA)
• Florida Association of Fire & Life Safety Educators
• International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
• Florida Fire Chiefs Association (FFCA)
• American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)
• Airports Council International (ACI)
• Dade County Trauma Advisory Committee