SAUGUS — Four Saugus firefighters were promoted to lieutenant this week as part of what Chief Michael Newbury described as a larger “organizational shift” for the town’s fire department.
Steven Seracuse, 33, Robert Johnson, 38, Paul Sullivan, 31, and Andrew McDermott, 31, were sworn into their new positions Monday in the presence of local officials during a small ceremony outside Saugus Town Hall.
The promotions signal the start of a department-wide restructuring as the town moves to hire more personnel to increase its number of frontline firefighters — an effort now possible with the help of a SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant the department received from the state last year.
According to fema.gov, the grant’s goal is to enhance local fire departments’ abilities to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA).
“What those standards lay out is that the instant commander should not be tied up on a piece of apparatus, and that leads to a safer fire department and a safer town,” Newbury said. “Because we have never put the captain in the car, historically, we qualified for the SAFER grant to upgrade our department.”
The funding will allow the Saugus department to hire five new firefighters and promote five current personnel.
Newbury said the four lieutenants will be assigned to regular fire department apparatus (any vehicle used for firefighting operations), while the department’s shift commander will be given his or her own vehicle.
He added that the department applied for the grant with the support of Town Manager Scott Crabtree.
“It was a need that was identified by him and myself, and it’s something that we both firmly believed in,” he said.
Prior to their promotion, the new lieutenants were required to take an extensive written exam. The promotion was offered to the department’s top four scorers.
“I’m personally very excited to get started as a lieutenant,” said Sullivan, who called the restructuring “a step in the right direction.”
Johnson said he felt the process was “long overdue,” adding that he feels the expansion is necessary to keep up with the community’s growing needs.
“I’m happy to be a part of it, and I think it’ll probably present other opportunities in the years down the road if we do end up (building) a third fire station,” he said.
In a statement, Town Manager Scott Crabtree lauded the new lieutenants for their commitment to the department and the town of Saugus.
“I want to congratulate the four firefighters for their hard work and their families for the sacrifices that they make,” he said. “As the town manager, it brings a lot of joy to me and the community they serve.”
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].
