| 02/23/2005 | | Jackson named East Haven fire chief | | Mark Zaretsky , Register Staff |
EAST HAVEN — Battalion Chief Douglas F. Jackson, a 21-year veteran of the Fire Department whose father is a former fire marshal, will replace Wayne Sandford as fire chief, Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. announced Tuesday.
In fact, Jackson already has replaced Sandford, who left the post last month to take a job as the state’s deputy commissioner of emergency management and homeland security.
Maturo swore Jackson in Tuesday afternoon, one week in advance of Jackson’s ceremonial swearing-in, which will take place at 10 a.m. next Tuesday at Fire Headquarters on Main Street.
The mayor, a former firefighter himself, chose Jackson, 45, over two other top candidates, Assistant Chief Paul Cahill and Battalion Chief Robert Celentano.
"I’ve been agonizing over the decision for the past month," Maturo said. "It was an agonizing decision, because I knew I wanted to stay within the Fire Department" and "all three candidates I worked with as a firefighter."
"All three I knew would be a big asset to the department," Maturo said. "All three were as qualified as the other, and it just boiled down to whichever one I felt would suit the administration and the town at this particular time. I picked Doug Jackson because I felt he would complement the Fire Department, this office and the town." Jackson, a lifelong East Haven resident who also served for seven years as a Riverside Company No. 6 volunteer firefighter, said the other two candidates both are good friends of his and he anticipates being able to work together well with them.
"It’s very exciting. It’s quite an opportunity, and I’m very pleased to have the mayor have that much confidence in me," Jackson said.
Jackson spent 13 years as a battalion chief and was vice president of the firefighters union for seven years, he said.
Jackson said he thinks he can meet the challenge of succeeding Sandford, who has a strong reputation statewide for advance and disaster planning and was particularly well-known for bringing large amounts of grants to East Haven.
"I’m following a guy who has an excellent reputation, who got involved in a lot of things," Jackson said. "I also was there while he was doing it. ... So while there are big boots to fill, I think I’m up to doing it."
Sandford was honored in September as the Northeast States Emergency Consortium’s emergency manager of the year.
Department training officer Chuck Licata said he thinks Jackson will make a good chief.
"I congratulate him and wish him well and know that he’s going to take the department in the right direction and take it down the right path," Licata said.
Mark Zaretsky can be reached at mzaretsky@nhregister.comor 789-5722. |
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