WESTFIELD – The Fire Commission in a marathon session interviewed candidates for appointment as firefighters and to fill the training captain’s post in the Fire Department.
Fire Chief Mary Regan said the candidates for two firefighter positions “interviewed well” and that the commission will meet with Human Resource Director Karin Decker later this week to rank candidates.
Fire candidates are screened before attending the State Fire Academy in Stow, Massachusetts. That screening includes a physical ability test (PAT) and a medical screening.
“All four candidates interviewed, but only two will be appointed by the commission (at this time),” Regan said. “The department will send the top two picks who pass the PAT and medical screening.”
The four candidates are: Tyler Ritchie, a military veteran and the son of a firefighter; David Albert, a military veteran and the brother of a firefighter; William Kopatz; and Eric Liptak. Veterans are issued points, increasing their entry level examination score, for their military service.
The Fire Commission also interviewed two firefighters, one of whom will be appointed to the training captain’s post. The two candidates are Christopher Kane, a six-year veteran of the department who is a firefighter/EMT and Keith Supinski, a 14-year veteran of the department and a paramedic.
“Both candidates for the captain’s post interviewed pretty well,” Regan said. “The Commission members decided to take time to digest the information and will meet with the personal director. The commission decided it will make decisions later this week, but we’re one step closer to having somebody promoted.”
The Fire Commission recently hired six firefighters who will go to the training academy on June 22 to become certified. Those newly appointed firefighter, whose official hire date was April 13, include Aaron LaFrenaye, Benjamin Hogan, Richard Ponti-Smith, Anastas Pchelka, David Pleshaw, and Timothy Bozak.
