Mayor Steven T. Noble has announced that City of Kingston Fire Department chief Mark Brown will retire on September 24.
Chief Brown has been a firefighter for 46 years. After 11 years as a volunteer firefighter at the A. H. Wicks Fire Station, he started as a permanent firefighter with the Kingston Fire Department in 1986. During his career in Kingston, he has served as fire lieutenant, fire captain, municipal training officer, deputy chief and as the chief since 2013.
Brown has been the recipient of numerous certifications and awards; most recently, the Kingston Fire Department won both local and state EMS Awards for Excellence. During his tenure, the department has seen major advances in safety improvements for its firefighters, including a second set of turnout gear; in equipment acquisition, such as two new battery-operated Jaws of Life, a tiller truck and the replacement of Engines 1 and 2; and with advanced training, such as establishing Rope Rescue and Confined Space Rescue teams.
“It is bittersweet that we announce that Mark Brown will be retiring next month,” said Mayor Noble. “Chief Brown has bravely served this community for almost five decades, and we sincerely thank him for his 35 years of service to the Kingston Fire Department. He will be greatly missed, both as the leader of the Kingston Fire Department, but also as a friend and colleague. As a Kingston resident, I know that Mark will stay involved in his community.”
“Being a firefighter was a calling for me; it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” said Chief Brown. “As soon as I could ride a bike as a kid, I would ride down to the A. H. Wicks Fire Station to be near the firefighters. I’m looking forward to my next chapter in retirement, but it’s with a heavy heart that I leave my position as chief. How many people get to have a job they love – working their way up from the bottom to the top – and still love the job after 46 years?”
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