WHITMAN –The town officially welcomed two new members to the Fire Department’s leadership with the Tuesday, July 23 swearing in of Deputy Chief Tom Ford and Lt. Brian Trefry.
The ceremony opened the Select Board’s meeting in the Town Hall Auditorium, after which the board recessed, reopening the rest of their session in the Select Board meeting room.
Fire Chief Timothy Clancy noted that Ford had been appointed a firefighter in July 1991 and appointed lieutenant in August 2020 and officially appointed deputy. The top candidate in the promotional process, he holds an associate degree in fire science and is certified as a Fire Service Officer I and II.
He has worked as an acting deputy chief since June and is the only military veteran serving in Whitman’s fire service, having served with United States Army.
“Not to be outdone, Tom has been the department’s SAFE officer for a number of years,” Clancy said. “He has excelled at both the schools and with the senior SAFE program. He has truly helped the children and no matter where you go with Tom, somebody knows [him] from the schools.”
Clancy said it’s quite cool that Ford had that big an impact with generations of children, noting that he.
After Town Clerk Dawn Varley swore Ford into office, his wife Suzanne pinned on his new badge and sealed it with a kiss.
A fire crew had to answer an emergency call the midst of the ceremony.
Trefry was appointed as a call firefighter in 2007 and as a firefighter/paramedic 2012, officially becoming a lieutenant on May 30. 2024. He holds a degree in fire science and was the top candidate for the position.
“Brian is one of the last people to have been on the call department and he’s worked his way up through,” Clancy said, noting that Trefry has a degree in Fire Science and is also certified as a Fire Instructor1 as a Fire Inspector I.,
Trefry’s wife Lindsey and their daughter presented Trefry’s bade during the Town Hall Ceremony.
“He came as a call firefighter, saw a career path and has started put more into being a great fire officer and I look forward to see where he goes in the future,” Clancy said.
Varley recalled that when he became firefighter, Trefry was the first she had sworn in.
“I look forward to what this new leadership brings to the fire department in the future,” Clancy said.