Arlington Fire District Dissolves Assistant Chief Position

The Arlington Fire Commissioners voted 4-1 Monday night to eliminate the position of second assistant chief for the district.

Long time volunteer firefighter Eric Philipp has held the position of 2nd Assistant Chief since 2005 having previously served as company lieutenant and then company captain at Arlington's station 5 in the Croft Corners area of Poughkeepsie. Philipp has been serving the Arlington fire district in one capacity or another for just about 25 years.

According to the resolution read by Chairman James Beretta, the new staffing and response model that the district initiated in January has reduced the need for a second assistant chief.

The new distribution included the hiring of Mobile Life Support Services to provide ambulance service to the district, which allows for career firefighters to be placed at each of the district's four firehouses.

In January of 2017, the Arlington Fire District started responding to medical calls with either a fire engine or ladder truck, and then Mobile Life will arrive with an ambulance. The firefighters are also trained medics.

The passage of the resolution results in having one paid full-time district chief, Tory Gallante, and one volunteer first assistant chief, John Richardson.