Our Team

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide well-deserved fire and emergency services to the Athol community, by a group of well-trained, highly-motivated, and truly professional firefighters.

CHIEF OFFICERS

Jeffrey Parker

Fire Chief | EMT-P

Date Started: October 1995

College Degrees or Licenses: A.S. Fire Science

Certifications/Special Trainings: Credentialed Fire Chief, Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Fire Officer I/II, Chief Fire Officer 3, Fire Prevention Officer I/II, Firefighter I/II Certified, Incident Safety Officer, Public Fire and Life Safety Educator, Fire Investigation Basic and Advanced, Hazmat – Operational Level, Bomb Recognition Training at New Mexico Tech, MMA Municipal Finance Management Training, ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, and 800.

Special Units or Organizations: Massachusetts Fire District 8 Fire Investigation Unit Lead Investigator, Member of FCAM, FPAM, Western MA Fire Prevention Association, and IAFC. Vice Chair of Vacant and Abandoned Building Committee in Athol.

Fire Chief in Phillipston, MA. Named Outstanding Recruit from Class 140 at the MA Fire Academy. Licensed Oil Burner Technician, CDL License. Eagle Scout.

Email: Chief Parker

CAPTAINS & LIEUTENANTS

Andrew Soltysik

Captain | EMT-B

Date Started: July 1999

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Large Animal Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, and 800.

Eric Jack

Captain| EMT-P

Date Started: October 2005

College Degrees or Licenses: A.S. Fire Science

Certifications/Special Trainings: Fire Instructor I, Fire Officer I, Fire Prevention Officer I/II, Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Credentialed Fire Chief, attended 6 day NFA Courses: Command and Control at Multi Alarm Incidents, Plans Review Sprinkler Plans, and Hazmat Code Enforcement. Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 300, and 700.

Special Units or Organizations: Member of FPAM, Western MA Fire Prevention Association, and FCAM.

MA Fire Academy Instructor for fire prevention and Call/Vol program, US National Guard Veteran, AFD Apparatus coordinator and dispatch liaison.

James Ferguson

Captain| EMT-P

Date Started: August 2009

College Degrees or Licenses: Bachelor’s Degree – UMASS Amherst

Certifications/Special Trainings: Fire Instructor I, Fire Officer I, Fire Prevention Officer I, Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 300, and 700.

Previous fire experience working for the Amherst, MA student force from 2003-2007 reaching the rank of Lt. Attended paramedic program at Northeastern University.

Jamal Hamilton

Captain| EMT-B

Date Started: July 2012

Certifications/Special Trainings: Youth Firesetter Prevention and Intervention Specialist, IAAI – Fire Investigation Technician, Swift Water Rescue Tech, Certified Ice Rescue Instructor, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, Confined Space Rescue, Rope Rescue – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, and 700.

Special Units or Organizations: District 8 Fire Investigation Unit, NoFires Screener/Educator

MFA Graduate Class 192, AFD Training Officer, AFD SAFE Coordinator, AFD Firefighter of the Year 2022.

Kevin Kaczmarczyk

Captain| EMT-P

Date Started: August 1996

College Degrees or Licenses: Paramedic License – Greenfield Community College 2000.

Certifications/Special Trainings: AFD EMS Coordinator, Incident Safety Officer, Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ACLS, PALS, and CPR Instructor, ICS 100, 200, 300, 700 and 800

Special Units or Organizations: Central MA Regional Board Member, Member of the Red Knights

Central MA Paramedic of the Year Award 2022.

CAREER FIREFIGHTERS

Bruce Dubrule

Firefighter| EMT-P

Date Started: July 1998

College Degrees or Licenses: Associate Degree

Special Units or Organizations: Massachusetts Fire District 8 Fire Investigation Unit Lead Investigator, Member of FCAM, FPAM, Western MA Fire Prevention Association, and IAFC. Vice Chair of Vacant and Abandoned Building Committee in Athol.

Firefighter of the Year Award 2004

Chad Girard

Firefighter| EMT-B

Date Started: July 2012

College Degrees or Licenses: Associate Degree in Fire Science

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, Mental Health First Aid, Critical Incident Stress Management trained, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

AFD Firefighter of the Year Award 2021

Adam Harris

Firefighter| EMT-B

Date Started: July 2017

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

Travis Brailey

Firefighter| EMT-B

Date Started: July 2017

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, Bomb Recognition Training at New Mexico Tech, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

Derek Perry

Firefighter| EMT-P

Date Started: January 2018

College Degrees or Licenses: Associate Degree in Paramedicine from NECC

Certifications/Special Trainings: ACLS, PALS, CPR certified, Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

US Navy Veteran

William Publicover

Firefighter| EMT-P

Date Started: August 21, 2018

Andrew Bond

Firefighter| EMT-P

Date Started: July 2019

College Degrees or Licenses: Associate Degree in Fire Science

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Instructor, Ice Rescue Tech, Tech Rescue trained, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

Special Units or Organizations: CERT Team Coordinator

Ian Hogan

Firefighter| EMT-P

Date Started: July 8, 2019

Francisco Carra

Firefighter| EMT-B

Date Started: November 2019

College Degrees or Licenses: Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech Instructor, Ice Rescue Tech, Water Rescue Tech Instructor, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

Special Units or Organizations: Vice President – Athol Firefighter’s Association

AFD On-call Firefighter from 2016-2019.

Sean Paul Morris

Firefighter| EMT-B

Date Started: August 2019

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

Owen Anderholm

Firefighter| EMT-B

Date Started: January 2024

Combat Medic in the U.S. Army Reserves

Trisha Gonynor

Firefighter | EMT - B

Date Started: August 2024

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100 and 200.

Connor Lordan

Firefighter | EMT - B

Date Started: October 2024

College Degrees or Licenses: Bachelor's Degree in Welding

Certifications/Special Trainings: NHI TIM, ICS 100, ICS 700

Special Units or Organizations:

Joshua McGrath

Firefighter | EMT - B

Date Started: October 2024

College Degrees or Licenses: Bachelor's Degree in History - Emmauel College, 1C/2A - Hoisting / Excavation License

Certifications/Special Trainings: Advance Open Water Scuba Diving

Special Units or Organizations: Northfield Dive Team, New Salem Fire

Timothy Fritz

Firefighter | EMT - B

Date Started: October 2024

Certifications/Special Trainings:

Special Units or Organizations: Combat Medic, Massachusetts National Guard

CALL FIREFIGHTERS

Brian Boucher

Captain| EMT - B

Date Started: March 2010

Certifications/Special Trainings: : Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100 and 200, Instructor 1.

Greggory Kimball

Lieutenant | First Responder

Date Started: February 2014

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, RIT Trained, Pumps and Hydraulics Training, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100 and 200.

David Adams

Firefighter| First Responder

Date Started: May 2012

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, RIT Trained, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100 and 200.

Todd Bowdridge

Firefighter| EMT-B

Date Started: September 2019

Certifications/Special Trainings: Swift Water Rescue Tech, Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, Blasting Detail Certificate, MA Boating Safety Certificate, Fire Apparatus Operator/Engineer Training Level 1, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

Agustin Carra

Firefighter| EMT - B

Date Started: November 2020

College Degrees or Licenses: Associates Degree in Business Administration from MWEE, Pursuing a Fire Science Degree at MWEE

Certifications/Special Trainings: Firefighter 1/11, MFA Career program, Hazmat - Operational Level, Ice Rescue Tech, ICS 100, 200, 700, & 800, EMT - Basic

Special Units or Organizations: Turner Falls Fire Department Career Member, Phillipston Fire Department Call Force

Laurie Parker

Firefighter | EMT - B

Date Started: November 2021

College Degrees or Licenses: Early Childhood Education

Certifications/Special Trainings: Ice Rescue Tech, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat – Operational Level, ICS 100 and 200. Swift Water Rescue Tech Instructor, and Water Rescue Tech Instructor.

Mom of three boys. Lives and works in Athol. Also, a Call Firefighter for the Town of Phillipston. Likes to garden, fish, run, and spend time with family and friends.

Jakub Sobon

Firefighter | EMT - B

Date Started: December 2022

Certifications/Special Trainings: ICS 100 and 200.

Also, a Call Firefighter for the Town of Phillipston.

Casey Barrett

Firefighter

Date Started: February 2024

College Degrees or Licenses : Airforce F-16 Crew Chief

Certifications/Special Trainings: FF 1-2, Hazmat OPS

Proud to be a member of the athol Fire Deprtment

Brandon Fournier

Firefighter

Date Started: February 2024

Certifications/Special Trainings:

Collin Joseph St. Germain

Firefighter

Date Started: January 2025

Certifications/Special Trainings: Firefighter 1/11

Special Units or Organizations: Athol Firefighter’s Association

Proud to be starting my career in the fire service and helping others.

HONORARY FIREFIGHTER

Kevin Miller Greenberg

Honorary Firefighter

Date Started: 2019

Kevin is very proud to be a volunteer with the AFD. He grew up in Longmeadow, MA and has lived in the Athol area since 2017. Kevin’s grandfather was a founder and Fire Chief of the New Johnsonville, TN fire department for over 30 years, thus he is proud to continue his grandfather's tradition of service. Kevin also enjoys competing in downhill skiing and bocce with Special Olympics Massachusetts. Kevin makes sure his family’s homes are properly outfitted with smoke alarms and fire extinguishers!

CHAPLAIN

Dan Parsons

Chaplain

Date Started: 2018

Dan is no stranger to the blending of faith and action. As a lifetime member of The Salvation Army, his life has been marked by opportunities to serve the underserved of our communities. Rising through the ranks he currently serves as the lay leader of the local corps and coordinates local responses of TSA Emergency Disaster Services team. He has been privileged to participate in multiple training opportunities and has been activated for large scale disasters such as the Springfield Tornado, Lawrence Gas Explosions. As a former member of the local CERT he has been involved in local sheltering activities and community events.

With a heart focused on the emotional as well as spiritual wellbeing of our first responders, Dan accepted the position of Chaplain of Athol Fire in 2018. He finds personal fulfillment in answering his calling to “Serve those who serve”. He continues his life of learning and training through membership in the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains.