CT Town's FDs Officially Merge into Single Agency
By Olivia Regen
Source Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
COVENTRY, CT—For the first time in 73 years, the town’s fire and EMS departments will operate as one unified department beginning Wednesday.
The unified department, the result of merging the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association and the North Coventry Volunteer Fire Department, will be known as the Town of Coventry Fire/EMS Department. It will be made up of volunteers.
Ahead of that milestone, town officials Monday held a swearing-in ceremony in Patriots Park for the new interim fire and EMS officers.
Bud Meyers, who serves as fire marshal and had been chief of the North Coventry Volunteer Department, was approved by the Town Council on April 20 to become the new unified department’s interim fire chief. He was sworn into that role Monday.
“I am looking forward to working with these officers and members of the unified department,” Meyers said today. “We have three core values — dedication, teamwork, and respect.”
He added that teamwork includes working with the council, the town manager, and even family members of those serving in the department to “create the best department that we can.”
Council Vice Chairman Matthew O’Brien Sr., who attended the ceremony, said that this “marks a very important and long anticipated day for Coventry.”
O’Brien thanked the officers for their “selfless hard work, and willingness to put themselves at risk every day to help keep Coventry’s citizens safe.”
Meyers, in collaboration with Town Manager John Elsesser and the transition committee, appointed three deputy chiefs and 16 officers to the unified department.
They include: Deputy Chief of Fire Operations Michael Heimer, who has served as a fire officer for the North Coventry Fire Department; Deputy Chief of EMS Division D.J. Figiela, who serves in that role in the EMS department; Deputy Chief of Training Ken Boutin, who served as chief of the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association; Battalion Chief Chuck Beecher who served as deputy chief of the North Coventry Fire Department; Battalion Chief Beth Mancini, who served as an officer in the North Coventry Fire Department for 15 years; Captains Jared Dewey, Chris Bellantone, and Craig Malan; and Lieutenants Jim Galey, Vinny Firth, Ryan Boutin, Leighia Rich, Alex Bohr, Josh Ziel, Ron Hodgkins, Billy Wong, and Thomas Christensen.
The unified department will be operating out of fire stations at the following locations: 1755 and 3427 Main St., 999 Merrow Road, and 1645 South St.
The council voted unanimously last October to approve a memorandum of understanding where the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association and the North Coventry Volunteer Fire Department would merge into a unified townwide volunteer fire department.
A Fire Transition Study Committee was formed in January to study the development of a plan for a unified fire department.
The merging of the two departments has been a “years long, thoughtful process,” Councilwoman Lisa Thomas said.
“I know that interim Fire Chief Bud Meyers and all of the newly sworn officers will lead with professionalism and integrity,” she said.
James McLoughlin, the town’s emergency management director and fire and EMS administrator, said this “was a great opportunity to come together and work as one fire department to improve the efficiencies and services we provide to our residents.”
Councilman Jonathan Hand, a former member of the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association, said he was honored to attend the ceremony.
“I am excited about the unity this creates for our public safety team in town,” he said.
Meyers said the department would focus on succession planning and providing training for captains and lieutenants so they’re prepared to take on chief officer positions in the coming years.
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