Selectmen Confirm New Fire Chief

Selectmen Monday night unanimously backed Town Manager Paul Cohen's appointment of Michael Curran as fire chief. Currently a deputy fire chief in town, Curran will begin his new position on Oct. 1.

The appointment comes as Fire Chief Jack Parow was appointed president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He will retire to take on those duties, Cohen said, which requires a lot of travel.

"We had plenty of time to plan," Cohen said. The town hired an assessment center to weed through the applications, Cohen said, and selected four candidates. Two of those four candidates were fire chiefs in other towns in Massachusetts, said Cohen, and two were deputy chiefs in Chelmsford.

Cohen said as Parow has been adjusting to his new role at the IAFC in the last few months, Curran has been assuming many of his duties.

Curran has also taken numerous steps to continue his education, said Cohen.

"He's been on the Fire Department since 1976 and a deputy chief for the past 14 years," said Cohen.

Curran lives in North Chelmsford.

"I'd like to thank my family for their support," Curran said. "Thank you."