Meet the New Deputy Fire Chiefs

Somerville’s newest Deputy Fire Chiefs, Pat Sullivan III, Deputy Chief of Operations and Bill Hallinan, Deputy Chief, have a half-century of fire fighting experience between them. The two were recently promoted to the positions and . Monday was Hallinan’s first official day on the job.

The duo graduated from Somerville High two years apart, joined the department the same year, and even both “married Somerville girls.” They’ve been working together for 25 years, and there’s a noticeable bond that binds them—their passion for the work that they do.

“It’s a great job it really is,” said Hallinan “It’s like a family. We all take care of each other…. What job do people work 25 years together? Not too many that you’re together the whole time and hardly anybody leaves,” he added.

“You share your whole life with everybody,” continued Sullivan. “It’s not like working in an office environment where you do all the pleasantries by day—they don’t know what you look like when you wake up at two in the morning.”

The 25 years each has served on the department make Sullivan and Hallinan two of the veteran firefighters of the team. While grateful for their promotions, each says they are going to miss the hands-on work they’ve spent most of their careers performing.

“The hardest part is not going to be able to work on a fire truck any more. That’s the fun part of the job” said Hallinan. 

“I agree with that statement 100 percent,” seconded Sullivan.

“Its just a natural progression as you get older. It gets harder to climb into that third floor window. I remember going into a window last summer and saying, ‘Oh, I don’t think I can do this when I’m 60,'” Hallinan added.

Changing with the times: Department getting younger, the job of a firefighter is growing more technical

As they assume their new positions as Deputy Chiefs, the department is undergoing some shifts. For one, with many recent retirements and new hires, the department is getting younger.

“It’s a much more complicated job than it used to be. I think that it reflects on the guys that come on the job now. They’re more educated, and in the old days it was all you needed to know how to do is drag a line,” explained Hallinan. “And now you gotta know about trench rescue and hazardous materials and all kinds of other more complicated things.”

Some of the changes are the product of a more than $800,000 grant the City received in 2008. The SAFER Grant (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response), from the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, allowed for the hiring of new members and the purchase of a new Rescue Truck, which should go into service in a few weeks.  

The new is equipped for building collapses, trench rescues, water rescues, rope rescues and more. The two explained that the last time the department had a Rescue Truck, was in 1969.

The new Deputy Chiefs also have plans of on how they will lead in their positions.

“We’re going to make some changes. We’re going to try to get a little more modern around here, just electronically. We’re kind of behind the times,” said Hallinan.

A new policy was implemented recently, which encourages department members to check their e-mails regularly.

Sullivan and Hallinan also noted that the Somerville Fire Department is lucky to have such strong allies in the Board of Aldermen and the Mayor, who back the preservation of public safety jobs and who make supporting the department a priority. 

Behind the uniform 

For Sullivan, firefighting is in his blood: His father, Patrick Sullivan II, served 38 years with the Somerville Fire Department and both of his uncles were in the department as well. Patrick Sullivan III used to drive the current Chief Kevin Kelleher around, Sullivan said.

Because of the family line, firefighting was something Sullivan wanted to do since he was a kid.

“It’s a life-long dream and to obtain the rank of Deputy Chief is just a special bonus on top of all that,” he said.  “Just being a firefighter was great, and everything after that has been a bonus. It’s been a wonderful career and I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Aside from working for the Fire Department, Sullivan is involved in the local Boy Scout Troupe, is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys kayaking, snowshoeing and hiking, and he plays the Irish button accordion.

On top of serving on the Somerville Fire Department, Hallinan is also on the state’s Hazardous Materials Response Team, serving as the Assistant Team Coordinator for District 2, which serves nearly three-dozen communities in the area in the case of a chemical spill or other incident. The teams are constantly on call, and are always attending trainings on the subject.

Hallinan is also an active outdoorsman, who enjoys skiing and along with his 13-year old son, and he’s a self-described movie buff. He’s also a student at Bunker Hill Community College where he is currently taking a digital photography class.