SALEM — The city’s new fire chief, Alan E. Dionne, will officially be sworn into his new position next Monday at the Hawthorne Hotel.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will take place at 10 a.m. at 18 Washington Square West.
Dionne is a 28-year veteran of the Salem Fire Department. He got his start as a firefighter in 1993 and was later promoted to lieutenant in 2000, captain in 2004 and deputy chief in 2016. He has been serving as the acting fire chief since the beginning of 2021 when former Chief Gerry Giunta retired. In late May, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll announced that she was officially appointing Dionne as the permanent head of the fire department.
“I was very pleased to appoint Al to this important position,” said Driscoll. “He has been a conscientious and steadfast member of the department for nearly three decades, serving our community selflessly and with dedication for all those years. I know he will continue to be a strong leader for the Salem Fire Department in his new role as chief.”
Dionne graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy in 1993 and has been a licensed EMT for the past 25 years. In addition to fire services, Dionne has extensive training and background in emergency management, hazardous materials operations and labor management. Dionne said he is looking forward to taking on the job and continuing to serve his community as he has for nearly 30 years.
“When I joined the Salem Fire Department in 1993, I had no idea what it meant to be a firefighter,” said Dionne. “Soon after, I learned that I was part of something very special. It’s humbling to think 28 years later I now have the opportunity to serve as chief of the department that has meant so much to me in a city I love.
“My firefighter colleagues are truly the finest people to work with. I extend to them, my fellow city coworkers and city officials my sincerest gratitude for their support. I will do my best to serve my department and my community. I am grateful for the opportunity to do so.”
