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Date: 10/12/2022
SOUTHWICK — Jessica Bishop was formally sworn in as the Southwick Fire Department’s next deputy fire chief last month to replace Richard Stefanowicz, who will take on the role of fire chief Nov. 7.
Bishop, the daughter of former Police Chief Kevin Bishop, was appointed Aug. 22 after being interviewed by the Select Board along with Jeff Hamberg. She has been with the Southwick Fire Department since 2011, having previously worked as an oral surgery technician.
She said after her interview and the Select Board vote that she sought the position because Southwick is her hometown, and she thought of the position as the best opportunity to do the most good for the place she grew up. She was formally sworn in to the position on Sept. 20.
“I’m happy to be back home. There is a ton of work here to be done,” said Bishop. “I am really excited to be here and anxious to get fully integrated into the new position.”
As for her future plans, Bishop said she “absolutely” aspires to be a fire chief someday, though she said she is not yet at that point in her career. Having some time as a deputy chief, she said, is an important step.
She would be following in the footsteps of her predecessor as deputy chief, Richard Stefanowicz, who was chosen to succeed Fire Chief Russell Anderson, who will retire Nov. 7.
During the Aug. 22 interview, Select Board Chair Russell Fox asked Bishop what she thought the biggest challenge she would face would be as deputy chief. She said the biggest challenge will be finding time to continue receiving education on leadership and fire service.
“Continuing my education is a full-on commitment I have,” said Bishop.
Select Board member Doug Moglin asked Bishop whether she felt stronger in fire situations or emergency medical situations, to which Bishop quickly said she was better in EMS.
“We have a career that requires two things that have nothing in common,” said Bishop. “EMS exists seven days a week, almost 24 hours a day. … Fires, thankfully, don’t happen seven days a week.”
She said later that firefighters receive more training in firefighting, but that she has far more real-world experience in EMS. Her emergency medical expertise, Fox later said, was one of the reasons he voted in favor of her promotion.
“We are a graying population in Southwick, and this will be a service we need that will save lives,” said Fox.