The Telegram and Gazette
OXFORD, Mass. — Assistant Fire Chief Sheri R. Bemis will become Massachusetts’ first full-time female fire chief next week.
Town Manager Joseph M. Zeneski offered Ms. Bemis, 47, the position Friday, when she accepted the job.
Ms. Bemis said she is “happy, excited and scared” to be taking on such responsibility.
“I wish my father was alive to see this, and my uncle, Robert Bemis, a Vietnam veteran and the youngest fire chief the Air Force has ever appointed. He was the only other firefighter in my family. He died last July,” she said.
The only other female fire chief in the state is Susan M. Labrie, who has been paid a stipend to serve as fire chief of the all-call Goshen Fire Department since 2006.
Ms. Labrie said she and Ms. Bemis were roommates at Texas A&M in July, when they took classes at the Municipal Fire School.
“Sheri’s a great person. She deserves this. She has a vision for her department,” Ms. Labrie said.
State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said it wasn’t that long ago when there were very few women in the fire service, and he welcomed a second female chief being named in the state.
“It’s a significant achievement. I am proud to be a state fire marshal during an era when the first women have moved into top administrative positions,” he said.
Ms. Bemis has been acting fire chief since Sept. 19, when she took over for Fire Chief Jeffrey A. Wilson, 55, who will officially retire March 1.
Mr. Zeneski said he hired MMA Consulting Group of Brookline to shortlist the finalists from 11 applicants for the chief’s position. Applications came from as far away as Idaho. MMA narrowed the list to four finalists, who were interviewed by a panel of professionals, including a fire chief and town administrator unfamiliar with any applicants.
“I wanted an objective process. Sheri was the superior candidate. The panel was unanimous in giving Sheri Bemis the highest scores. She has outstanding qualifications and the highest certifications,” Mr. Zeneski said.
Full support
Fire Lt. Kenneth J. Sellers said he fully supported Mr. Zeneski’s choice. “I’ve been behind Sheri since day one. We work very well together. I think the town made the right decision for the town and for the department.”
Laurie Burlock, clerk for the Fire Department, agreed. “Sheri’s a great boss. She’s been doing the job since September and doing it well. Morale here is great. There’s a good vibe.”
Last summer, Ms. Bemis became the first Oxford firefighter to achieve National Fire Protection Association certification as a Chief Officer Level 6, the highest level for a fire chief.
Ms. Bemis was born in Virginia and raised in Rhode Island. When she watched the television show “Emergency” as a young child, she decided she would become a firefighter and EMT.
She joined the Oxford Fire Department as a call firefighter in 1987, became an EMT a year later, and earned paramedic status in 1998. In 1999, she became assistant EMS director and the town’s first full-time paramedic. In 2003, she was named the Paramedic of the Year by the Central Massachusetts EMS Association.
In 2007, Ms. Bemis became the town’s first female chief officer, when she was promoted to assistant chief.
On March 1, she will take over as chief of a department with nine full-time firefighters, six paramedics and 25 call members.
Ms. Bemis said, “I would like to see more call members - firefighters, EMTs and firefighter-EMTs.”
One of her top priorities will be training, which is necessary because of sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and other improvements.
Ms. Bemis said, “It’s not like the old days with a lot of fires for on-the-job training. My priorities will be training, recruitment and retention.”
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