By Alison Cross
The Day
DANIELSON, Conn. — More than half of the Danielson Fire Department is stepping down in response to the Danielson Borough Council’s decision to seek external applicants for the position of fire chief.
On Wednesday, Interim Fire Chief Jason Burgess said at least 16 members, including himself and Deputy Chief Ryan Kelleher, are leaving or have already left the volunteer department this week.
| MORE: Goodbye, fire service: When leaving is more bitter than sweet
Just a dozen members remain in the department. Burgess said he anticipates the number will shrink even further in the coming days. Within the remaining group, Burgess said, there are only two certified firefighters, two certified drivers, two emergency medical responders and one emergency medical technician.
The en masse retirements and resignations come roughly a month after controversy erupted over the council’s decision to open the fire chief search to non-department members after turning down Burgess, Kelleher and two other volunteers for the role.
In a statement, the council said it is “working urgently to ensure uninterrupted emergency response and public safety.”
“We thank every firefighter and officer who has served our community for their dedication and sacrifice. The safety of Danielson residents remains our highest priority,” the council said. “We recognize how unexpected and concerning this is for residents and for the remaining members of the department.”
“At this time, the borough is confirming the mutual aid agreements that are currently in place and is coordinating with neighboring departments to maintain full coverage while we stabilize staffing,” the council added. “We are conducting an immediate review of active personnel and certifications to identify gaps and deploy resources where they are needed most. We will also accelerate recruitment of qualified candidates and explore additional support for current members.”
The council said it intends to “act promptly” to appoint new leaders at the fire department to ensure “operational continuity.” Tammy Wakefield , a member of the Town Council and Borough Council , said borough leaders are planning to meet on Thursday at 7 p.m. to discuss and possibly appoint the next interim chief.
News of the resignations left many residents worried about how the depleted fire service would impact the safety of the more than 4,000 people who call the 1.1-square-mile borough home, and their taxes. Some criticized the firefighters for abandoning the community, while others placed the blame on the borough council.
In 2025, the department responded to 996 calls for service, including 31 mutual aid calls for structure fires outside the borough, according to an annual report published by the department in April. The fire department accounts for roughly 75% of the borough’s expenses. The borough approved more than $726,000 in spending for the department next year.
The Danielson Fire Department is one of eight separately taxed fire districts in town.
Fire Marshal Randy Burchard said all of the town’s departments have long-standing mutual aid agreements between themselves and neighboring town departments to respond to calls.
Burchard, who is also the president of the South Killingly Fire District , said Danielson and South Killingly departments have participated in a dual response system for years. As part of this automatic aid agreement, the Danielson and South Killingly departments initiate a joint response for certain calls for service.
Department upheaval
Burgess said his breaking point came when Borough President Heidi Clifford wrote a letter to area fire chiefs to request applications from qualified members in their departments for the role of Danielson fire chief.
“That really did not go over well with not only myself, but the rest of the membership,” Burgess said. “That was when I decided, I am going to retire.”
“The other resignations or retirements are from people that agree with the decision that I made and they also want to just move on,” Burgess added. “They don’t support what’s been going on.”
Last month, Clifford said that during the internal search for a chief, none of the applications submitted by Burgess, Kelleher and the other candidates “met the submission requirements for a complete application.” She said the applicants were given the option to reapply once the position was posted to external and internal candidates.
Burgess said he and Kelleher met all of the qualifications listed in the job description. Burgess said he never learned what was missing from his application. Additionally, Burgess said members of the department wrote a letter to the council endorsing him for the role of chief, which the council took no action on.
Burgess said the department has historically promoted its chiefs from within. He said he does not know why the council has opted to look externally for candidates.
“They want to go in whatever direction they want to go. I respect that, I just no longer have the time or the energy to dedicate to whatever they’re trying to do here,” Burgess said. “I no longer have the drive and desire to be a part of the organization. … I put my time in and it’s time for me to enjoy my family more and spend more time at home.”
Burgess has led the department since October, when Chuck Kelleher retired after eight years as the chief. After nearly 24 years with the department, Burgess said his last day will be Thursday.
“The membership feels the disrespect and the lack of support from the council,” Burgess later added. “Recruitment and retention (for) volunteer fire service in Connecticut is at an all-time low. We can’t get the people in the door. And yes, the municipalities, the tax districts, the fire departments need to retain their membership as best as possible, and this is kind of mind-blowing where we’re at, where we don’t have the support of the local town (to) keep us engaged and moving forward.”
In a statement, the council accused department members of contributing “to an atmosphere of gossip and misinformation within the department and the community.”
“It is remarkable that this level of departure has occurred given that Interim Chief Jason Burgess and recently resigned Deputy Chief Ryan Kelleher were both actively involved in developing the hiring process and met monthly with the Fire Commissioners, the Borough Council President, and the Borough Administrator to design and refine that process. During those monthly meetings, the agenda routinely includes Fire Department and Council concerns, and the chiefs did not raise issues from department members to the commissioners. Members have always been encouraged to reach out to the Fire Commissioners, the Council, the Administrator, or the President,” the council said.
Burgess rejected the council’s description of an open-door policy, stating that borough leaders “never reached out to anybody wanting to have a conversation” about the tensions between the department and the council in the hiring process.
The annual stipend for the fire chief position will be $15,000 in the 2026-27 budget year, up from the current compensation amount of $8,200.
Clifford did not respond to a request for additional comment.
Resignations often signal leadership disputes, safety concerns and unresolved conflicts — issues that often build long before members decide to walk away
Firefighters, dispatchers and other first responders are speaking more openly about PTSD, burnout and stigma as more agencies expand mental health programs
The right messaging and training can give community members the confidence to step up during emergencies
Five alarms were struck as strong winds pushed flames across several homes in Lowell sending two firefighters to the hospital
Salisbury officials say Wicomico County’s proposed budget underfunds city fire and ambulance responses outside city limits, worsening a financial crisis
© 2026 The Day (New London, Conn.).
Visit www.theday.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Each year, the NFFF carries out a responsibility entrusted to it by Congress: honoring America’s fallen firefighters and standing alongside the families they leave behind. In 2026, that mission is at risk.
