PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenwich Fire Chief Appointed
The Greenwich Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Fire Department of the City of New York Battalion Chief Joseph O. McHugh as Chief of the Greenwich Fire Department at its meeting Thursday, August 27.
Chief McHugh will succeed Chief Peter Siecienski who retired in May. Chief McHugh will be sworn in an outdoor ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Monday, August 31, at the Greenwich Public Safety Complex, 11 Bruce Place. He will officially assume his new role on September 14, 2020. Assistant Chief Robert Kick will continue serving as Interim Fire Chief until then.
Chief McHugh began his fire service career with the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department in Old Greenwich, serving as a Firefighter and then as a Lieutenant.
He joined the ranks of the Fire Department of the City of New York in 1991 as a Firefighter in Manhattan. During the course of his career he has served as a Lieutenant in The Bronx, a Captain in Manhattan, and became a Battalion Chief in Division 7 in The Bronx. He currently serves as Battalion Chief in Safety Command and is the Executive Officer of FDNY Safety Command operations. He is responsible for the safety of FDNY members at all major fires, emergencies and catastrophic events.
Chief McHugh was selected from a pool of 40 applicants who responded to a national search. A series of interviews was conducted with eight finalists by a committee comprised of First Selectman and Fire Commissioner Fred Camillo, Town Administrator Ben Branyan, Human Resources Director Mary Pepe, Interim Fire Chief Kick, Greenwich Firefighters Local 1042 President Matt Brooks and Byram Volunteer Fire Department Chief David Walko.
“Chief McHugh brings an enthusiasm to this position, with an appreciation of the work and dedication of the both the professional and volunteer firefighters who stand ready to protect our residents 24/7,” Mr. Camillo said. “I look forward to working with him as we work to build upon the strengths and accomplishments achieved by the department under the tenures of Chief Siecienski and Chief Kick.”
Chief McHugh resides in Port Chester, NY, with his wife Pamela, who is a teacher at Cos Cob School, and their children, daughter Molly and son Johnny. His mother, Marjorie McHugh and mother- and father-in-law, Martha and John Awdziewicz, are Greenwich residents. His late father, Edward, spent 20 years with the Greenwich Fire Department and retired as a Fire Inspector in 1985.