Battalion Chiefs
When the initial (partially paid) PFD began in March 1890, there was a Chief and two assistant chiefs. The rank of Battalion Chiefs was established on June 1, 1912 (22 years after the department started) and on that date PFD was reorganized. The rank of Assistant Chief (then AC Gilmore) and Deputy Chief (then DC Patrick Sweeney) were eliminated (both chiefs retired) and a First and Second Battalion Chief rank was established. Promoted to the First BC position was then Acting Assistant Chief Ernest Fields (officially still a Captain of Engine 1) and to the Second BC position was Captain Charles Nolan (Engine 5, who also happened to be the brother-in-law of then Mayor Andrew McBride). Both operated out of Headquarters on Van Houten Street.
In 1916 a 3rd Battalion chief was appointed (John Specht) and a distinct second Battalion area was created running out of Engine 9 on Main Street. At that time, it was hoped that ultimately a 3rd Battalion would be created to operate out of a Riverside location, but that did come to fruition at that time.
All changed on after the war when on March 2, 1947: Two distinct (First and Second) Battalions were introduced with the First Battalion operating out of central headquarters at 115 Van Houten Street and the Second Battalion out of 23rd Avenue firehouse (quarters of Engine 13).
At that time there were two shifts of firemen - the A and the B shift - The A shift Deputy Chief (comparable to today's Tour commander) was Hobart Strathearn and the A Shift Battalion Chiefs were for Battalion 1 Joseph Bray and Battalion 2 Walter "Les" Titus. The B shift Deputy Chief was James Kennedy and the B/C were for Battalion 1 was James Chaplain and Battalion 2 was Rudolph Peppinghaus.
A distinct 3rd battalion finally went into service December 1, 1957 operating out of Highland Street. Over time the locations covered by and their quarters of the Battalions have shifted. Ultimately a 4th Battalion was added.
All changed on after the war when on March 2, 1947: Two distinct (First and Second) Battalions were introduced with the First Battalion operating out of central headquarters at 115 Van Houten Street and the Second Battalion out of 23rd Avenue firehouse (quarters of Engine 13).
At that time there were two shifts of firemen - the A and the B shift - The A shift Deputy Chief (comparable to today's Tour commander) was Hobart Strathearn and the A Shift Battalion Chiefs were for Battalion 1 Joseph Bray and Battalion 2 Walter "Les" Titus. The B shift Deputy Chief was James Kennedy and the B/C were for Battalion 1 was James Chaplain and Battalion 2 was Rudolph Peppinghaus.
A distinct 3rd battalion finally went into service December 1, 1957 operating out of Highland Street. Over time the locations covered by and their quarters of the Battalions have shifted. Ultimately a 4th Battalion was added.
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The rank of BC was eliminated in 1963 and then reestablished in 1978. Because the rank has been intermittent in PFD history, many but not all Deputy and Assistant Chiefs held a Battalion Chief rank first. Other such Chief officers are pictured on the either the Deputy or Assistant Chiefs pages of the web site. |
BC Badge of Joseph Dayspring (1952-1957)
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Occasionally the rank of provisional battalion chief has appeared in ball books. Civil Service allows a department to make provisional appointments, only in the absence of a civil service list for that particular rank. Once the list is posted, if one is not high enough on the list to be promoted, one has the choice of being demoted or retiring. Typically anyone who has 25 years of service and does not rank high enough will usually retire rather than face demotion. Anyone shown here is (was at retirement) an actual battalion chief.
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Ernest Fields
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Charles C. Nolan
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John Specht
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Ernest Field - Appointed PFD March 1890 - Served as Lieutenant and Captain - Became 1st BC June 1912
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Charles C Nolan - Appointed July 1, 1905 - Captain (E7, E5) Became 2nd BC June 1912
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John Specht - Appointed March 20, 1890 - Lieutenant September 17, 1905 - Captain January 20 (T3, T2 & E2), 1911 - Battalion Chief June 8, 1915
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Michael Comer
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Frank Dowdall
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Appointed October 1, 1912 Served Engine 4, 5 and as Chief Aide: Lieutenant February 1, 1918; Captain February 21, 1919; Battalion Chief December 25, 1923. Died 1943
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Frank Dowdall, October 1, 1913
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John Craig
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Louis Rotella
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Alfred Gallagher
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John Craig August 1 1927 - Badge # 245 - Served Truck 2 - Appointed Captain 1942 at Truck 3 and then in 1947 at Truck 2- Promoted to BC January 1, 1950 - Passed away March 22, 1951
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Louis Rotella - Served as Sergeant US Army July 31, 1943 thru November 30, 1946: plane shot down over Germany & he was prisoner of war – appointed PFD December 1, 1947 - Badge #86 – Assigned engine 1 -Promoted to Lieutenant 1958 & in 1962 Captain (E9)
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Alfred ("Ollie") T. Gallagher – Appointed February 1, 1954 - Badge #52 - Served as Sergeant in US Army April 24, 1951 thru April 4, 1953 – German Occupation Ribbon - Appointed February 1, 1954 -Promoted to Captain January 1, 1969 - Battalion Chief October 1, 1982 - Retired 1994
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John Vanderhook
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Thomas Alala
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Vic Diddio
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John Vanderhook - Appointed March 1, 1956 - Badge 22 – Served as Sergeant US Army October 15, 1951 thru September 25, 1954
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Thomas Alala – Served in US Air Force as Airman 1/c January 1, 1951 thru August 17, 1954 – Appointed December 1, 1956 – Badge #220 - Assigned E7 – Promoted to Captain and then Battalion Chief
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Vittorio “Vic” Diddio – Served as Corporal USMC October 3, 1956 thru September 30, 1958 – Appointed PFD February 1, 1961 – Badge # 64 – E4 – Promoted to Captain – Promoted to Battalion Chief
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John Elwood
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Angelo Mazza
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Albert Captor
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John Elwood – Served as Corporal in US Army February 21, 1951 thru February 23, 1953 – Appointed PFD March 1, 1960 – Badge # 242 – Served E9 Tour 3 – Promoted Captain July 1, 1972 Squad 1 Tour 2 – Battalion Chief April 29, 1978
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Angelo Mazza December 1, 1962
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Albert Captor September 1, 1963
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James Carrie Jr.
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Domenic Cotroneo Jr.
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Michael P. Fleming
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James Carrie Jr. - Served as Airman 1/c in US Air Force April 5, 1950 thru March 22, 1955 - Appointed PFD September 1, 1963 - Battalion Chief - Retired August 1, 1990
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Domenick Cotroneo Jr. Served Airman 2/c US Air Force July 1950 thru November 1953 - Appointed PFD September 1, 1963
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Michael P. Fleming – Served as Specialist US Navy US Navy November 28, 1958 thru December 11, 1962 – Appointed PFD September 1, 1963
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Larry Mazza
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Albert Rosiello
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Leonard Saia
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Larry Mazza September 27, 1963
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Albert J. Rosielllo – Served as Damage Control Petty Officer 3c - Appointed September 27, 1963 – Served as Damage Control 3 Officer US Navy June 3, 1951 thru June 14, 1955
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Leonard Saia September 27, 1963 -
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James Davidson
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William J. McCabe
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James Ramundo
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James E. Davidson May 1, 1964
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William J McCabe US Navy Reserve E-3 December 1, 1962 – Appointed PFD May 1, 1964 – Badge # 256 - Truck 3, Tour 4 - Promoted to Captain and Battalion Chief
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James Ramundo May 1, 1964 - Served as Sergeant in US Army January 1959 thru August 1962
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Herbert Stride
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Edward Allen
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Joseph Guerrieri
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Herbert Stride May 1, 1964
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Edward Allen Appointed May 1, 1965 - Served US Navy August 26, 1956 thru October 2, 1959 - Appointed Captain 1977, Appointed BC in 1991, retired 1995. Served E1 ,E3 (Riverside), Squad 1, E10, E7 (Southside) - As Captain Floating. Squad 1, E13, E3 (Lakeview ) - Battalion 3 (Riverside)
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Joseph Guerrieri - Served in NJ Air National Guard April 15, 1960 - Appointed PFD May 1, 1965
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Thomas Coppo
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Robert "Fritz" Meyers
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Terrence Pelligrino
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Thomas K. Coppo – Served as Airman 2/c US Air Force January 19, 1955 thru October 16, 1957 – Appointed PFD July 22, 1966 - Promoted to Captain May 16, 1975 – Promoted to Battalion Chief - Retired May 1, 1991
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Robert S. Meyers - Served as Petty Officer 2/c US Navy September 15, 1958 thru January 25, 1961 -Appointed PFD January 1, 1966 - Became Paterson's Fire Director after retirement
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Terrence Pelligrino August 1, 1966
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George Asbaty
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Richard Warner
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Arthur Menzo
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George Asbaty – Served as PFC US Army July 22, 1957 thru July 14, 1959 - Appointed PFD September 14, 1966 – Badge # 187 - Promoted to Captain October 1, 1977 – Promoted to Battalion Chief
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Richard Warner December 1, 1967
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Arthur D. Menzo – Served as Specialist E4 in US Army September 29, 1961 thru September 29, 1963 – Good Conduct Medal - Appointed PFD August 1, 1968 – Badge # 142 - 1971 E13 - Died December 15, 2019
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Earl Plavier
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William Slootmaker
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Arnold Frey
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Earl Plavier - Served in US Army in Vietnam starting September 12, 1968 - Appointed PFD August 1, 1968 - Badge 264 - Captain October 1, 1977 - Battalion Chief September 21, 1991 - Died October 4, 2006 (37 years of service)
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William Slootmaker Served Specialist 5th Grade US Army July 6, 1964 thru June 27, 1966 - Appointed August 1, 1968
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Arnold Frey April 11, 1969
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Peter Peterson
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Chris Ricciardi
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Alex Creddio
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Peter Peterson November 1, 1972
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Chris Ricciardi January 1, 1976
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Alex Creddio Appointed July 1, 1977 - Served Truck 3, E1, L1. E4 - Captain E4 - Battalion Chief
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Richard Nicholas
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Anthony Puglia
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William Duncan
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Richard A. Nicholas – Served as E5 in US Navy August 1957 thru September 1969 – Appointed PFD November 1, 1977 (as a Captain)
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Anthony “Tony” Peter Puglia – Served as Specialst 4 in US Army from February 20, 1968 thru February 19, 1971 – Received Purple Heart (shrapnel wounds to the neck), Bronze Star, Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Service Medal - Appointed PFD July 23, 1978 – Badge 284
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William Duncan August 11, 1980
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Philip Bartolotto
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Mark Ricciardi
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Robert Hrib
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Philip Bartolotto June 20, 1983
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Mark Ricciardi June 27, 1983
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Robert Hrib June 27, 1983
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Peter Crampton
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Glen Vetrano
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Thomas Behnke
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Peter Crampton February 17, 1986
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Glen Vetrano June 2, 1986
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Thomas Behnke May 15, 1989
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Robert Stemmler
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John Daly
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Christopher Babcock
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Robert Stemmler May 7, 1990
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John Daly April 1, 1985
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Christopher Babcock May 7, 1991
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Charles Onorato
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Gabriel Abouyan
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Michael D'Arco
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Charles Onorato May 7, 1991 - Retired June 1, 2019
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Gabriel Abouyan May 18, 1992
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Michael D'Arco May 18, 1992 - Retired 2017
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Robert Poloniak
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David Alexander
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Brian Rathbone
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Robert Poloniak May 18, 1992 - Retired 2017
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David Alexander June 1, 1993 - Retired February 1, 2019
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Brian Rathbone - Appointed June 1, 1993 = Served E1, E6, R1 - Captain January 30, 2002 E6, R2- BC September 10, 2010 - Retired 2019
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Dante M Destefano
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John Hensz
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John Botero
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Appointed June 12, 1995 - Captain September 25, 2009 L1 - B/C August 9, 2019
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John Hensz June 12, 1995 - Retired July 2019
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John Botero appointed January 10, 1996 - Captain April 30, 2013 L3 - B/C August 1, 2019
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Kenneth Kiefer
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Jackson G Brock
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William Bucher
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Kenneth Kiefer - Appointed June 10, 1996 - Captain June 11, 2010 L2
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Appointed January 10, 1996 - Captain June 11, 1962 L2 - B/C August 1, 2019
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William Bucher June 20, 1998
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Orlando Rodriquez
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Manny Rivera
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Alejandro Alicea-Lopez
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Orlando Rodriquez June 12, 1995
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Manny Rivera May 18, 1992
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Alejandro ALicea-Lopez - September 10, 2001 - Captain December 6, 2007 E4, T1
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Lamar L. Colclough
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Michael Caposella
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Charles Gander Jr.
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Lamar Colclough - Appointed June 12, 1995 - BC April 30, 2019
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Michael Caposella - Appointed January 10, 1996 - Captain June 6, 2005 E6 - BC April 30, 2019
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Charles Gander Jr., Appointed May 10, 2004 - Captain November 1, 2011 Ladder 3 - BC April 30, 2019
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Jason Macones
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Joseph T. Henderson
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Mike Trommelen
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Jason Macones - Appointed May 1, 2006 Captain Captain April 30, 2013 Combustibles, E4 - BC April 30, 2019
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Joseph T. Henderson - Appointed June 1, 1993 - Captain November 1, 2011 L1 - BC June 11, 2019
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Michael Trommelen - Appointed September 10, 2001 - Captain February 23, 2009 Chief's Office- BC June 11, 2019
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Michael Cleenput
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Jose D. Molina
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Michael Cleenput - Appointed November 7, 2005 - Captain April 30, 2013 E4 - BC June 11 2019
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Jose Molina - Appointed October 23, 2006 - Captain May 28, 2015 - Ambulance - BC June 11, 2019
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