Out of Towner to be New Fire Chief in Brookline, Mixed Reactions

The Town of Brookline has named a man from Worcester Mass as the new Fire Chief since the current Chief is retiring. There has been some controversy of hiring an outsider, instead of giving the chance to a Brookline man who has already proven himself, working in the town’s department.

The new Fire Chief is John F. Sullivan, who was the chief of operations in Worcester Fire Department who started this week after Fire Chief of Brookline, Rob Ward officially retired Friday.

The townspeople had mixed views on the new hire. Most people wished the town had hired someone within the Brookline Fire Department.

After being informed on the hire, local man Peter Kelley talked about how he wishes the Brookline Fire Department gave the chance to an insider.

“Well nothing against the new guy, but I think it would have made sense to hire someone from here, that seems right,” he said.

Ted Gallagher, who works with Devon in Brookline felt the same about the news.

“It would have been nice if they picked someone from here or local, Worcester is kind of far,” he said.

Local woman Devon Highlander who works in Brookline had no idea about the new hire,

“I wish it was advertised more and I wasn’t learning about it on the street, but I feel like they could have chose someone from here,” she said.

One Brookline resident said the conversation was the wrong one to begin with.

“Were always discussing who’s the right man for the job, no one talking about a woman being right for the job, so to answer your question, I don’t care,” said Susan Perry who lives in Brookline.

There are currently at least three women in the Brookline Fire Department. The outgoing Fire Chief told Patch one of the things he was most proud of was his efforts to recruit women.

Kristen Connors as a journalism student at Newbury College