POUGHKEEPSIE – Twenty-two-year Poughkeepsie firefighter, Lieutenant Vinnie Parise, has been named as the department’s new Deputy Fire Chief, effective December 5, 2022. The 41-year-old Parise will fill the void created when Joe Franco was promoted from Deputy Chief to Chief of the department in July of this year.
Parise is a Poughkeepsie High School graduate who was hired by the fire department in 2001. Prior to being hired by Poughkeepsie, Parise had served as a volunteer with the Fairview Fire District when he was a teenager. He started out as a relief firefighter for Group 4 and in 2003 he was assigned to the Clover Street Station on Engine 1 in group 4 as a permanent position.
He was promoted to lieutenant in 2016 and was assigned to Engine 2, operating out of the Public Safety Building at 505 main Street.
Chief Franco recommended “Deputy Chief Parise who has served the City and this Department with distinction for nearly 22 years. His knowledge of department operations is matched only by his love of our community, and he has the respect and admiration of our entire team.”
“As someone who was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, and graduated from Poughkeepsie High School I feel honored to be named Deputy Fire Chief of this department. I feel this is a perfect time for this position to open up and become available to me. This department has a great group of firefighters, officers, and a Fire Chief,” Parise said. “I’m looking forward to assisting in leading this department to provide the best service possible to the residents and visitors to the City of Poughkeepsie.”
Parise’s father-in-law, Ed Decker, served with the Poughkeepsie Fire Department for 43 years, until he retired as Deputy Chief in 2017. The former deputy chief called his son-in-law “A great, level-headed firefighter,” adding “He’ll do a terrific job in the position.
Parise has received the support of his fellow Poughkeepsie firefighters who are members of IAFF Local 596. Union President Nick Bucher said “We are very happy to finally see the approval for the position to be filled,” adding “Vinnie is a great choice to take on the role of Deputy Chief and help Chief Franco move this department forward. We look forward to working with and supporting him.”
Deputy Chief Parise, a married father of three, plans to work with Chief Franco to further improve the department. “Working toward having the proper equipment, tools, and knowledge to be ready as best we can for any incident we are called to,” Parise named as a priority. He also plans to work with fellow officers to operate safely, protect life, property, and “assure the public is safe and all members of this department return home safe at the end of each shift.”
City Administrator Marc Nelson, who will become mayor in January, said, “On behalf of city residents and all our partners, I want to thank Deputy Chief Parise for his service and congratulate him on his new role. This is a wonderful choice for the city and we wish him, his family, and the entire department a very happy holiday season.”
Parise, who will be working days at the Public Safety building, handling day-to-day operations, said “I’m grateful for the confidence that city leadership and Chief Franco have in me, and for the support and well-wishes of my peers.” Parise has received the support of his fellow Poughkeepsie firefighters who are members of IAFF Local 596.
