New Fire Chief Appointed In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — The Board of Selectmen voted Thursday to appoint Joseph McHugh as the Greenwich Fire Department's new fire chief. He will succeed Peter Siecienski, who retired in May.

In an announcement, town officials said McHugh will be sworn in to the position during an outdoor ceremony scheduled to take place Monday at 10:30 a.m. at the town's Public Safety Complex. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

McHugh will officially assume his new role Sept. 14. Assistant Chief Robert Kick will continue serving as interim fire chief until then.

"Chief McHugh brings an enthusiasm to this position, with an appreciation of the work and dedication of the both the professional and volunteer firefighters who stand ready to protect our residents 24/7," First Selectman Fred Camillo said in a statement. "I look forward to working with him as we work to build upon the strengths and accomplishments achieved by the department under the tenures of Chief Siecienski and Chief Kick."

According to town officials, McHugh was selected from a pool of 40 applicants who responded to a national search. A committee then conducted a series of interviews, resulting in eight finalists.

Committee members included Camillo, Kick, Town Administrator Ben Branyan, Human Resources Director Mary Pepe, Greenwich Firefighters Local 1042 President Matt Brooks and Byram Volunteer Fire Department Chief David Walko.

McHugh began his fire service career with the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department in Old Greenwich, serving as a firefighter and then as a lieutenant.

In 1991, he joined the ranks of the Fire Department of the City of New York, where he served as a firefighter in Manhattan. Over the course of his career, he has served as a lieutenant in the Bronx and a captain in Manhattan, and ultimately became a battalion chief in Division 7 in the Bronx.

McHugh currently serves as battalion chief in safety command and is the executive officer of FDNY Safety Command operations. In this role, he is "responsible for the safety of FDNY members at all major fires, emergencies and catastrophic events," town officials said.

A resident of Port Chester, N.Y., McHugh's wife, Pamela, works as a teacher at Cos Cob School. His father, Edward, also spent 20 years with the Greenwich Fire Department before retiring as a fire inspector in 1985.