Reading Fire Department Assistant Chief Nelson Among the Graduates
Multifaceted Course Supports Professional Development for Chiefs and Rising Officers
STOW—More than three dozen fire service leaders from across Massachusetts graduated today from the 30th class of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine said.
The four-month program for new chief officers and chief officer candidates is delivered jointly by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and the University of Massachusetts Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management. Through classroom instruction, out-of-class assignments, and student presentations, the course delivers intensive training in the managerial aspects of leading a municipal fire department.
“The Chief Fire Officer program is a tremendous opportunity for new chiefs and rising officers,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, who graduated from the program in 2016. “The rigorous instruction in such a wide variety of topics will help these graduates provide the leadership that their departments and communities deserve. Completing the program is a major accomplishment and I want to congratulate all of them on their initiative and dedication to professional development.”
The Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program covers a spectrum of topics considered essential for effective public sector management. It includes human resource management, ethics, executive leadership, governmental and organization structures, information management, customer-focused strategic planning, legal issues, budgets and public finance, community awareness, and labor relations. The curriculum helps fire officers improve their ability to lead and manage personnel, understand employees’ needs and problems, communicate effectively to a variety of audiences, and leverage inter-agency cooperation. The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, a division of the Department of Fire Services, offers this program tuition-free.
| Acton Fire Department Deputy Chief Chris Sammet |
| Bellingham Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Provost |
| Bondsville Fire Department Acting/Interim Chief Michael Germaine |
| Boylston Fire Department Deputy Chief Matthew Ronn |
| Braintree Fire Department Acting/Interim Chief Frederick Viola |
| Bridgewater Fire Department Deputy Chief Glen Grafton |
| Centerville-Osterville-Marstons |
| Mills Fire Department Deputy Chief Patrick Hill |
| Chelmsford Fire Department Deputy Chief Ryan Houle |
| Edgartown Fire Department Assistant Chief Joshua Baker |
| Fitchburg Fire Department Assistant Chief Patrick Haverty |
| Framingham Fire Department Deputy Chief Will Gingras |
| Franklin Fire Department Battalion Chief William Blanchard |
| Georgetown Fire Department Chief Matthew McKay |
| Holden Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Montiverdi |
| Holliston Fire Department Assistant Chief Brian Kelley |
| Hudson Fire Department Deputy Chief Brian Harrington |
| Lexington Fire Department Assistant Chief Donald Chisholm |
| Longmeadow Fire Department Deputy Chief John Rigney |
| Marlborough Fire Department Assistant Chief Jeffrey Gogan |
| Medford Fire Department Chief Todd Evans |
| Nahant Fire Department Chief Austin Antrim |
| Newbury Fire Department Acting/Interim Chief David Evans |
| Plainville Fire Department Acting/Interim Chief Robert Skinner |
| Plymouth Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian Baragwanath |
| Reading Fire Department Assistant Chief Richard Nelson |
| Rutland Fire Department Deputy Chief Ryan Quinn |
| Seekonk Fire Department Chief Shaun Whalen |
| South Hadley-District 2 |
| Fire Department Chief Ryan Moore |
| Springfield Fire Department District Chief Miguel Rivera |
| Sutton Fire Department Deputy Chief Robin Dresser |
| Three Rivers Fire Department Chief Stephen Nodurf |
| Tisbury Fire Department Acting/Interim Chief Patrick Rolston |
| Turners Falls Fire Department Chief Todd Brunelle |
| Webster Fire Department Deputy Chief Jeffrey Saad |
| Westborough Fire Department Deputy Chief Stephen Doucet |
| Westwood Fire Department Deputy Chief Christian Pierce |
| Wilbraham Fire Department Deputy Chief Mathew Walch |
