City officially appoints new assistant fire chief
GREENWICH — The Greenwich Fire Department’s new command structure is almost fully in place after the Board of Selectmen formally approved the appointment of Brian Koczak as assistant fire chief.
Koczak, who will be sworn in at 11 a.m. Monday, is the department’s deputy fire chief and has more than 24 years of experience with the Greenwich Fire Department.
“Brian brings a lot of experience,” Fire Chief Joseph McHugh told the selectmen at Thursday’s meeting. “He brings a lot of great qualities to the Greenwich Fire Department.”
It was a “hard choice,” McHugh said, between Koczak and the other finalist, whom he did not publicly identify but is also a current department member. McHugh said he wanted an internal candidate, and First Selectman Fred Camillo agreed.
“I know it was a hard choice and it’s always a difficult process, but I think promoting from within the department is a very good thing and will certainly help you get off and running,” Camillo said. “Brian brings in a lot of institutional knowledge in how to do the job.”
McHugh said, “Both candidates brought a lot to the table. They’re both highly qualified candidates.”
Koczak said he was looking forward to the opportunity.
The two top members of the Greenwich Fire Department left in 2020. In May, former Fire Chief Peter Siecienski retired and last month Robert Kick retired as assistant fir chief. McHugh, a former battalion chief for the FDNY, was hired in August.
The promotion was not unanimously approved; Selectwoman Jill Oberlander abstained. She said this was not a reflection of Koczak but rather her continued objection to the process that she said does not permit her or Selectwoman Lauren Rabin a chance to interview candidates before a board vote.
Oberlander and Rabin had a chance to speak to Koczak before the vote, but they were not part of the formal interview process like Camillo was. Oberlander objected to that, just as she did with the appointment of McHugh as fire chief and the recent promotion of Greenwich Police Department officer Robert Berry to the rank of deputy chief.
“I assured (Kocak) during our conversation that I am a strong supporter of the department and the work that they do along with the commitment of the men and women who work in the department,” Oberlander said. “Not being part of the interview process itself, there’s really not a foundation for making a determination on whether or not this is right appointment as the assistant chief.”
Rabin voted in favor of
the appointment along with Camillo. Koczak is a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Madison, where he also serves as a deputy fire marshal. Rabin said that would be an asset for Greenwich, which has
both career and volunteer firefighters — and at times there has been friction between the two sides.
“I appreciate that level of experience,” Rabin said. “There needs to be collaboration and trust between
career firefighters and volunteer firefighters as we move forward.”
Camillo said that was “an excellent point to be made” and was something “that we really need to address going forward.”
Monday’s swearing-in ceremony will be held at the central fire station downtown. Social distancing measures will be followed.