Sydney fire commander professional#

Hajder said the safety framework posed a difficult question to answer. Heim, in the final question, stipulated the dangers and potential for harm in their service and asked how they’d lead being mindful of the firefighters’ safety with their lives in the chief’s hands from decisions made. Their time is valuable,” Hajder said of the department that has only six full-time paid staff that includes four dispatchers. “The men and women of our fire department are out most valuable resources. That allows us to do a very good job,” Souza said proudly, and added, “The operation we have now is sustainable.” Souza cited working with surrounding community fire departments and mutual aid needs to conclude: “We don’t really require that much help … we can send more firefighters on scene than any other fire departments. He cited his fire and educational experiences as giving him the tools to be the best chief candidate, as well as his time preparing for this job by learning under Chief Burke.Ī question Marquis asked was what they learned over 20-plus years on the Swansea department that was the most important to them. He said building and managing those relationships “is important to what we do” and “and probably is the most important skill I have developed.” He holds a bachelor’s in fire science and master’s in public administration.ĭuring the half-hour interviews of each candidate, Hajder cited his qualifications for providing “purpose and direction” and building relationships with members on the unique volunteer department.

Sydney fire commander professional#

Green Airport, where he’s worked for 15 years in his professional firefighting career, has been a Swansea volunteer firefighter for 22 years and in 2011 held the rank of lieutenant for one year. Souza, promoted last year from captain to deputy chief of the Rhode Island Airport Corp. Hajder and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Sydney and Shelby, both students in the town’s school system. He holds an associate’s degree from Bristol Community College in fire science technology and a bachelor’s in public administration from Roger Williams University. Just afterwards, as an unpaid member of the Swansea Fire Department, having moved up the ranks to captain, he was promoted to Swansea deputy fire chief. Burke’s salary is $110,000.ĭuring a 20-year professional career, Hajder had been a captain on the full-time Portsmouth, Rhode Island, fire department for nine years until 2012, when he retired. Peter Burke, the chief for the past 26 years, plans to step down from running the department on that date, but would continue working with Hajder for a month in the transition before using several months of accumulated vacation time, officials said.Īfter his departure, Hajder would become fire chief.