When John Rupkey starts something, he sticks with it, which means the new Monticello Fire and Rescue chief may hold that post for a while.
Recently named to replace the retiring Rick Dubson, Rupkey has been on Monticello’s volunteer service since 1995, most recently as assistant fire chief. He is also a captain on the Cisco Fire Department.
His day job is as the pharmacy director for Senior Care Pharmacy in Monticello, along with its predecessors, something he has done since 1994.
Rupkey’s interest in fire departments dates back to his youth, when his family would visit an uncle who was a volunteer fireman in Troy, Michigan. “As a kid he would take us to the firehouse, and I always enjoyed doing that and looked up to him. It was always pretty cool,” he said. “I always thought when I got to small town, I would like to volunteer to be a fireman.”