Interim Fire Chief Kevin P. Partridge has 36 plus years of firefighting experience in Massachusetts, including extensive time as chief. He'll start on Thursday, June 10, taking over from Interim Chief Robert McCall, who will remain battalion chief.
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CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 712-2221 or msheley@middletownri.com
NEW FIRE CHIEF ON THE WAY
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (JUNE 7, 2021) – The Town of Middletown looks to have a new temporary fire chief in the wings.
Following a lengthy executive session meeting tonight from Town Hall, the Town Council named Kevin P. Partridge of Berkley, Massachusetts as interim fire chief. According to his resume, Partridge now serves as assistant fire chief in Berkley and has a 36-year career in firefighting throughout Massachusetts.
Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown and the council welcomed Partridge aboard, saying his experience and track record were a proven temporary fit for Middletown Fire – and the Town – while a permanent successor was found. They also thanked Interim Chief Robert McCall for his stellar, seamless work through COVID-19, guiding the department through an unprecedented stretch with class and grace.
“I think everyone would agree we’re very fortunate to bring in someone with Chief Partridge’s knowledge and commitment to fire services,” Brown said. “He’s going to be an excellent match for Middletown and will continue to move our department in the right direction, especially as we onboard and deploy our new staff.
“Saying that, everyone in the Town has a special ‘Thank you’ for Chief McCall and the work he’s done. Chief McCall has done a yeoman’s job filling in during an especially difficult time for everyone and I know everywhere I go, I hear compliments about the service and care from Middletown Fire.”
Partridge’s hire is the latest in the community that’s seen several new faces after a number of retirements over the past couple years. Among those include Police Chief William Kewer, Building Official Chris Costa and Interim Public Works Director Robert Hanley, among others.
Partridge brings a wealth of experience, not just as a fire chief, but also as an emergency management director and senior manager for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety, Department of Fire Services.
His resume indicated Partridge worked from 1984-1993 for the Town of Swansea Volunteer Fire Department and Swansea Ambulance Corp. He also worked for the Town of Berkley as the chief from November 1993-November 2003 and served in just about every other role in that department going back to 1986.
From there, Partridge worked as fire chief and emergency manager for the Town of Avon Fire Department from November 2003 – July 2006 before serving in the state public safety office.
Partridge also served as the Emergency Management Director for the Town of Easton before returning to Berkley, where he’s been since December 2020.
“We’re excited about bringing in Chief Partridge,” Brown said. “Our fire chief is an important position in our community and we wanted to make sure we had the right person in place before we moved forward. Again, we thank Chief McCall for all his work and I know he’s excited about returning to his role as battalion chief, where he’s also thrived.”
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