POUGHKEEPSIE – Mayor Rob Rolison formally introduced the new chief of the Poughkeepsie city fire department at a ceremony in city hall on Monday. Navy veteran and 27-year member of the Poughkeepsie Fire Department, Joe Franco has been serving as the department’s acting chief since January of this year.
“Joe Franco brings a wealth of knowledge to the position of fire chief, having risen in the fire department ranks and serving in so many different capacities – command, firefighting, building and code inspections, emergency care among them,” Rolison said. “His experience and knowledge of the community will be invaluable as he takes on this critically important public safety role.”
Franco said he wants to increase the manpower of the 63-member department that responds to nearly 5,000 calls per year. “I look forward to adding new firefighters to the department and want to improve training among the men,” Chief Franco said. “I also want to work with the administration to replace some of our apparatus and equipment.”
Franco joined the Navy in 1985 and served on the USS Iowa and the USS Vandergrift before becoming a dispatcher with the city in 1995. He was appointed to the position of firefighter in 1996 and immediately went to the fire academy. The new chief was promoted to lieutenant in 2001 and became deputy chief in 2017 when former Deputy Chief Ed Decker retired.
Poughkeepsie firefighter and IAFF Local 596 President Nick Bucher said, “We are excited for Chief Franco to be formally named to the position. He’s been our chief since January and we’re happy for the city to have made it official. Our members are looking forward to the future of this department under his leadership.”
While working for the fire department, he continued his career in the Naval Reserves, retiring as chief petty officer in 2006.
“I am thankful for the trust placed in me to lead the department and I think we are positioned to continue to keep the City of Poughkeepsie safe,” Chief Franco said.
