The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Retired fire chief to receive service award
MIDDLETOWN — The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2021 recipient of the Chief Michael L. Green Award is the city’s retired fire chief.
The recognition is presented annually to a member of the police or fire community for his or her outstanding service to the community and to the chamber, according to a press release.
Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim nominated former Middletown fire chief Robert W. Kronenberger, a 34-year veteran of the fire service who worked for the department for 30 years.
“Chief Robert Kronenberger has dedicated his career of service to the town of Middletown. We are very proud of him,” Chamber President Larry McHugh said in a prepared statement.
His areas of expertise are fire service operations and administration, hazardous materials response, emergency management operation and administration, emergency planning, and emergency communications, according to the chamber. He has served his department and community as a firefighter, fire lieutenant, captain of training, and deputy fire chief.
He was promoted to chief in June 2014, and retired in July.
Kronenberger has been an adjunct professor of fire service leadership and emergency management for two universities since 2009, the statement said. He teaches emergency management and disaster preparedness, along with executive fire service leadership for Grand Canyon University, and is an adjunct instructor for Idaho State University.
He also teaches in the field of fire science and administration.
Kronenberger has served on various validation committees for the International Fire Service Training Association, and has sat on both the Strategy and Tactics for Structural Firefighting Committee and the Chief Fire Officer Committee. He has authored IFSTA’s Hazardous Materials Technician Manual, a first edition book published in 2013.
The award will be presented at the chamber’s annual awards dinner Nov. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. at The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station in Haddam. To attend, contact Johanna Bond at Johanna@middlesexchamber.com or 860-347-6924.