In addition to promoting seven members of the West Hartford Fire Department, a newly-hired fire inspector was sworn in. 

By Ronni Newton

The West Hartford Fire Department celebrated the appointment of two new deputy chiefs as well as other promotions, and welcomed to its ranks a new fire inspector at a badge-pinning ceremony attended by family, friends, colleagues, and town officials held at Town Hall on April 24, 2025.

“It is really unique when we have the time to greet families, to welcome members of the department, and to take some time out to thank you and reward you for your hard work and your achievements,” Mayor Shari Cantor said, offering her congratulations.

“We value this department. We value public safety profoundly, and there is mutual respect and our town appreciates – and I hear it, and I think our leadership hears it – but there’s so much gratitude in our community for what your loved ones do,” Cantor said to the families present.

Town Manager Rick Ledwith also congratulated the newly-promoted firefighters. “Congratulations. You have earned this moment through your dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of our town,” he said. “A promotion in the fire service is never just a title change. It represents years of hard work, training, and sacrifice – not only from you but from your families as well, and  those who support you through every call, every shift, and every challenge.”

Ledwith joked that he’d love to give a long speech, but in all likelihood there would probably be a call before he finished, noting that the department has been incredibly busy over the past few weeks. “In all seriousness, the recent uptick in fire activity has been a powerful reminder of what this department represents. Even in the most intense and dangerous situations, our firefighters are focused, fearless, and professional. That is what leadership looks like, and as you step into your new roles, I have no doubt that you will continue to lead by example.” Ledwith said.

“My time up here today presents a venue to thank our members and our town leaders for continuing to allow me the opportunity to lead, especially in times where it’s really exciting and inspirational, when you’re watching people get hired or welcoming them to new roles,” Fire Chief Greg Priest said. Whether it’s an administrative issue, the budget, or hearing about the knockdowns of fires like those on Dayton Lane and Taylor Road, Priest said he’s “really consistently humbled and honored.”

To the new fire inspector and those who have been promoted, Priest asked them to listen to the insights and stories of others. “There’s rarely a step-by-step how-to manual, but there are tremendous people who are around you to help you craft the type of leader that you want to be and help forge your path that you may want to take through your journey.”

Leadership can be like rigid a rollercoaster in the dark – “definitely exhilarating, terrifying at times, and you certainly have some fun but you will be tested, especially when you can’t please everyone,” Priest said.

“Come to work humble, proud, and honored to wear the patch. West Hartford has a great fire department. Believe that!” Priest said, urging the newly-promoted to learn their own role as well as the role of those a step up, and to encourage others to “consider the gravity of our mission of service to the community,” to step out of their comfort zone and seek new ideas but also learn how to be happy in the present while making positive changes.

Deputy Chief Jarrad Smith, who served as emcee of the badging ceremony, introduced the department members being honored, and also shared some inspirational examples of leadership exhibited by members of the fire service outside of West Hartford, including actions taken by Deputy Fire Chief Michael McNamee of the Worcester Fire Department, who was the on-duty commander on Dec. 3, 1999, when the “Worcester Six” were killed in the line of duty searching for a windowless warehouse for two homeless individuals believed to be inside. McNamee made what Smith said was the “gut-wrenching decision to halt all search and rescue operations and to physically block the entrance of the building to prevent additional firefighters from entering” – a decision which likely saved many more lives.

“The position of deputy chief represents a major achievement in the career of the firefighter. Only a select number of individuals will ever attain this rank,” said Smith of the position that heads training, support service, or serves as senior field commander, as he introduced newly-promoted Deputy Chiefs Russell Duffy and Adam Pacheco.

Duffy, who previously served in the Air Force, is a 14-year veteran of the West Hartford Fire Department who has held every rank and is a certified fire officer, instructor, and fire marshal.

Pacheco has been with the West Hartford Fire Department since 2008, and has excelled in various leadership positions and is credited with securing many grants to support the department’s training, education, and equipment. He is about to graduate from UConn with a master’s in public administration this spring.

The position of captain is the “senior supervising fire officer responsible for the safe, organized, and effective operation of each of the town’s five fire stations,” Smith said, sharing a story of Berwick, Maine Fire Department Capt. Joel Patrick Barnes who in 2019 led his crew into a burning home to begin search and rescue operations, and when conditions worsened and a flashover was imminent, and he and a brand new firefighter were trapped, “in a last act of heroic sacrifice Capt. Barnes threw himself over his new firefighter to shield him from the immense heat.” The new firefighter survived, but Barnes lost his own life.

Capt. Benjamin Coker, who has been a member of the West Hartford Fire Department since 2008, took the oath of office at Thursday’s ceremony and was pined by his wife and children.

Branden Bohan has also been promoted to the rank of captain, but was not able to attend the ceremony.

Lt. Amanda Gamble is “not the first female officer in the department’s history, but is the first female leader of the next generation – the next generation of firefighter/paramedics she’s leading in a department that is night and day different from what it was 10 years ago when she started,” Smith said. Gamble, who was hired in 2015, was one of the first paramedics hired by the West Hartford Fire Department, has been an apparatus operator since 2019, and in 2017 received the department’s first-ever clinical excellence award for outstanding patient care.

“Fire inspectors play a critical role in safeguarding communities through fire prevention, code enforcement, and public education,” said Smith, a challenging and evolving effort that can be largely unseen.

Newly-hired Fire Inspector Adam Pillsbury spent 21 years with the Connecticut State Police, involved in law enforcement as well as fire investigation. Smith noted that Pillsbury served as a trooper, major crime detective, emergency services unit diver, marine operator, and supervisor in the fire and explosion investigation unit, and also served on an FBI weapons of mass destruction and explosive ordinance disposal task force. Before being hired in West Hartford, most recently he was a fire inspector in the Town of South Windsor.

Two department members have been promoted to apparatus operator, including Vince Avarista, who took the oath of office and was pinned Thursday, and Audrey Olga, who was not present.

Apparatus operator is a highly technical position involving specialized knowledge, and “operators are entrusted to maneuver large complex vehicles through traffic under extreme pressure and often in hazardous conditions where seconds count,” Smith said.

Avarista joined the Town of West Hartford as a heavy equipment mechanic in the Department of Public Works in 2013, and transferred to the fire department in 2017 to handle apparatus repairs as the fire mechanic specialist before becoming a firefighter in 2021. He’s also the department’s heath and safety committee chair.

“Congratulations to the newly promoted members. Your journey is just beginning and we stand with you every step of the way,” Smith said to close out the celebration.

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