Worcester Picks Martin Dyer As Permanent Fire Chief

WORCESTER, MA — The interim leader of the Worcester Fire Department was tapped this week to be the department's new permanent chief.

City Manager Eric Batista said Tuesday he would Martin Dyer to take over full-time as fire chief. Former chief Michael Lavoie left the job in 2021 after 34 years of service, leaving Dyer as interim chief.

Dyer will take over a department that has suffered several firefighter deaths in recent years, and was the subject of a hard-hitting Emergency Services Consulting International report in 2021 detailing internal failings that compromised firefighter safety.

Batista said he picked Dyer for the job due to his accomplishments as acting chief, including a new strategic plan that includes recommendations from the Emergency Services Consulting International report on the department. Dyer also helped land two federal grants totaling $15 million — money that will be used to hire and train 60 new firefighters, plus pay for new equipment.

“As Worcester’s next fire chief, my promise is to deliver the highest level of service to the residents and visitors of Worcester,” Dyer said in a news release. “My focus is both the safety of our community and the well-being of the department, from the physical and mental health of our members to the longevity of our technology and equipment. It has been a privilege to serve this city as I have, and I am honored to take on the leadership role as Worcester’s next fire chief.”

Dyer joined the Worcester Fire Department in 2004, and rose to become a deputy chief in 2017.