The Westbrook Fire Department will be welcoming a new deputy fire chief later this summer.

The city has hired Thaddeus Soltys, currently the chief of the Shaker Pines Fire District in Enfield, Conn., to fill the spot vacated by Tim Pellerin, who left the department in March to take a position as emergency management director in Lincoln County.

Fire Chief Gary Littlefield said Soltys, 42, would join the department on Aug. 8. Soltys has 20 years of firefighting experience, with 17 years of command experience, said Littlefield.

Littlefield said he was looking forward to having Soltys join the department. “I think he’s going to be a good fit,” he said. “He’s very professional with an excellent background.”

Emergency Medical Services Director Ron Jones said he thought Soltys’ prior experience would serve him well in Westbrook. He said Soltys had worked in a department like Westbrook’s, with combined full-time and call firefighters.

“He has the combination department experience,” said Jones. “He can hit the ground running with that perspective.”

When he came to the city to interview for the position, Littlefield said Soltys liked what he saw of Westbrook, and Littlefield said he thought that once residents get to know Soltys, they would like what they see of him.

“I think he’ll do well for the community,” said Littlefield.

Soltys did not return calls seeking comment for this story.

Copy the Story Link