The Board of Selectmen on Thursday unanimously voted to appoint a new assistant Greenwich fire chief. Thomas Lenart Jr. will take over for Justin McCarthy, who left Greenwich several months ago for a position in New Haven. Lenart will be sworn-in in the coming weeks.
Greenwich Fire Chief Joseph McHugh said the department received 15 applicants for the job, and the field was eventually narrowed down to three. The Board of Selectmen was present during interviews.” One person in the whole process really shined above everybody else,” McHugh said of Lenart.
A resident of Derby whose family has been involved in fire services and law enforcement, Lenart joined the Derby Volunteer Fire Department in 1993 and rose through the ranks, eventually serving as chief there in 2013 and 2014. In September 2000, Lenart joined the Greenwich Fire Department and was promoted to lieutenant in 2009. He became deputy chief of training in February 2021, and has also worked as a shift commander during his tenure in town.
McHugh noted that Lenart has served on several committees and has improved the equipment standard operating procedures of the department. He also served as an officer with Greenwich Local 1042 for a number of years. “He works very closely with our career staff, very closely with our volunteer staff, and everybody in this department thinks very highly of Chief Lenart,” McHugh said, noting the appointment would be a “seamless transition” for Lenart since he’s already familiar with the town and department. “I’m looking forward to the good things Tommy will do in his new role with the fire department,” McHugh added. “Tommy is very well-rounded between his volunteer career up in Derby and here in Greenwich.”
First Selectman Fred Camillo congratulated the GFD for “a really thorough search.” “You got some really good candidates who applied for this, and we think you came to the right conclusion,” Camillo said. “Tommy is well thought of by the career and volunteers. I never hear a bad word about him, and I think this is a home run for the department.”
Following his appointment, Lenart spoke briefly and thanked the department and selectmen for their support and selecting him for the position. “I know [the position] comes with a lot of responsibility and expectations, and I’m ready to work hard to meet those,” Lenart said. “I look forward to working with the board and all the town departments and agencies. We have a lot to move forward in the department and I’m ready to get to work in a couple weeks when I officially start.”
