NORTHAMPTON — Colleagues, friends and family packed the bays of the main fire station Friday afternoon to celebrate the promotion of Andrew Pelis to succeed Jon Davine as chief of Northampton Fire Rescue.
Davine said he had only one piece of advice for Pelis, who has been his colleague and friend since they started together with the fire department in 1998.
“Always do what’s right for the department,” he said.
Davine, who starts his new job Monday as state fire marshal, said he would miss “each and every one” of his colleagues.
“It’s been an honor leading this department,” he said.
Pelis, a Northampton native who graduated from the University of Massachusetts, credited Steve Vanasse, now a deputy chief on the department, with encouraging him to take the civil service exam and join the fire service.
Prior to that, he had a short career in professional baseball, playing in the minor leagues in Pittsfield.
“Baseball taught me the traits to be successful in this work — passion for the job, a strong work ethic, and teamwork,” he said after the ceremony.
After joining the Northampton department, Pelis went on to earn a degree in fire science from Anna Maria College in 2007. He has moved through the ranks as a training officer, fire prevention officer, hazmat technician, shift captain and deputy chief.
He was named assistant chief in March 2020, the same month Davine was promoted to chief.
“We met COVID head-on,” Davine said of the fire department.
Pelis, who lives in Northampton with his wife and four children, acknowledged he had big shoes to fill as Davine moves on to become state fire marshal.
“Jon’s leadership will be missed,” he said.
During the ceremony, Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra swore Pelis in as interim chief, saying there was no better person to lead the department and she fully expected a speedy confirmation by the City Council.
Sciarra also thanked Davine for his “exemplary service” and saluted his promotion to state fire marshal as “an amazing accomplishment.”
“This fire department has been the gold standard in so many areas,” she said.
Pittsfield Fire Chief Tom Sammons, president of the Western Massachusetts Fire Chiefs Association, presented Davine with a trophy, saying it was great to have a fire chief from western Mass. as state fire marshal.
Both Pelis and Davine offered special thanks to Melissa Betsold, the department’s administrative assistant who now will be working under her fourth chief.
“Thank you to Melissa, the glue that holds this department together,” Pelis said.
The City Council is expected to take up the matter of Pelis’ appointment at its Aug. 17 meeting.
James Pentland can be reached at jpentland@gazettenet.com