On July 22, 2020, at Franklin Fire Headquarters at 40 West Central Street in Franklin, the town of Franklin celebrated the promotion of 11 new officers promoted by rank as well as welcomed the addition of a new firefighter/paramedic. The event included a processional with Lt. Scott Keefe of the Milford Fire Department and Worcester Fire Brigade on bag pipes, the National Anthem sung by Liz Cassidy, and invocation by Chaplain Rick Marcoux. Deputy Chief James P. Klich opened the event, which featured Franklin Fire Chief James G. McLaughlin and Franklin Town Administrator Jamie Hellen as speakers. 

“This ceremony was a bit unusual due to the large amount of officers promoted,” says Chief McLaughlin. “The reason is that we just completed a major restructure of the Department, which includes four new Battalion Chiefs, which is a brand new rank for the Department.”

The restructuring of the Department comes as a result of the Franklin Fire Department’s departure from the Massachusetts Civil Service hiring system. The Department now has four Battalian Chiefs, four shift Captains, one EMS Captain, four Lieutenants and 36 Firefighters (which is planned to eventually increase to 40).

Honorees included:

Battalion Chief Charles Allen

Battalian Chief Thomas Carlucci

Battalian Chief Keith Darling

Battalian Chief Steven Sims

Captain William Blanchard

Captain Thomas Konieczny

Captain Sean Lovely

Captain Kevin Marshall

Lieutenant Paul Molla

Lieutenant Laurie Roy

Lieutenant David Smith

Firefighter/Paramedic Dylan Voss

The Franklin Fire Department receives about 4,500 calls a year, with most for emergency medical services.