The City Council voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Gregory Gentile as Chief of the Newton Fire Department at the full City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 21. Chief Gentile comes from a long line of firefighters: His grandfather Nicholas Gentile and his father Donald Gentile, were both Newton firefighters.
At an interview during the June 8 meeting of the Public Facilities Committee (see NewTV recording), Chief Gentile stated that he was “truly honored and humbled.” He provided information about his extensive career with the Fire Department, which includes serving as a firefighter, a Lieutenant in Fire Prevention, a Captain in Training (giving him an opportunity to see all aspects of the department), Deputy Chief, and Assistant Chief. In response to questions regarding DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), Chief Gentile stated that “Fire Service, in general, needs to take a look at what they are doing and how to do it better.” He suggested the need to set long-term goals, including “diversifying the candidate pool through the Civil Service process” and having increased community engagement to attract more applicants from diverse backgrounds. He stated that diversifying the department is not an overnight fix, but will take long-term dedication, planning, and commitment.
Councilor Rick Lipof, who served on the Fire Chief search committee, said that the process was good and thorough, and he is excited to have consistency and longevity with the new chief. He emphasized that “having a younger chief gives us the potential for continuity.”
