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■ STEPHEN ARCHER was named the new chief of the Lynn (MA) Fire Department (LFD). Archer, 53, a 24-year member of the LFD and was previously a district chief. A former union electrician, Archer switched careers at the age of 29 at the urging of his younger brother, a member of the Swampscott (MA) Fire Department. Former LFD Chief James McDonald retired at the end of January after more than four decades as a firefighter. |
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■ JEFF BOUGHTON was hired as the new chief of the Prairie du Chien (WI) Fire Department on December 28, 2017. Boughton is a 38-year fire service veteran, spending the past 34 years with the Boscobel (WI) Fire Department (BFD), serving the past 12 years as the BFD’s chief. Boughton also served as a fire service instructor for Southwest Tech for 28 years. Boughton replaces former Prairie du Chien Chief Harry Remz, who stepped down from the position in August 2017 after serving as the city’s fire chief for the past 10 years; Deputy Chief Tim Deluhery Sr. had been interim chief in Remz’s absence. |
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■ KAREN BODINE was named as the first ever female chief of the Cascade (CO) Fire Department. She is also the youngest chief ever elected to the department. About 15 volunteers respond to the town’s roughly 200 calls each year. Bodine is also a second-generation crewmember; her father is a former firefighter. |
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■ STEVE LEGERE was sworn in as the new chief of the South Meriden (CT) Volunteer Fire Department. Legere has served as the department’s deputy chief for the past 10 years. He replaces former Chief Keith Gordon, who plans to relocate to Florida. Legere is also a paramedic at Middlesex Hospital and a paramedic on the Meriden (CT) Police Department SWAT team. He has been a police officer in Meriden since 1978, when he entered the force as an auxiliary officer. Legere was also previously a full-time emergency medical technician at Hunter’s Ambulance and a career firefighter in Wallingford, Connecticut, for several years. |
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■ KEN McMULLEN was hired as the new emergency services manager and fire chief for the Red Deer (Alberta, Canada) Emergency Services Department. McMullen previously was the assistant chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency. He was also the assistant deputy chief of the Calgary Fire Department for eight years. He also serves as a member of Canada Task Force 2, an all-hazards disaster response team, and is a board member with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs. McMullen is a 21-year fire service veteran and has held roles as a firefighter, fire instructor, fire inspector, and fire investigator. |
