Finance and Personnel Director Denise Dembkoski is pleased to announce that the Town of Groveland has appointed a new Fire Chief. Chief Robert Valentine was sworn in on Sunday at Central Fire Station at 181 Main St. by Town Clerk Elizabeth Cunniff.
“Chief Valentine was a standout candidate during the preliminary interviews for this position, and I think he’ll be a true leader of the fire department and a great addition to Groveland,” Dembkoski said. Chief Valentine officially began his new position on Monday, Dec. 2.
“I worked for many years at a paid on-call volunteer fire department, similar to Groveland’s Fire Department today, and then we became a combination department,” Chief Valentine said. “With my experience, I felt working in Groveland would be a great fit as the department evolves, and I’m looking forward to serving the community.”
Past experience
With 39 years of experience in fire service, Chief Valentine most recently served as the Deputy Fire Chief of the Albion Fire Department, in Lincoln, Rhode Island, for approximately 13 years. He also has served as a Training Officer for the Albion Fire Department since 2004. In his new position as Groveland Fire Chief, he has relocated from Rhode Island to Groveland.
He first joined the Albion Fire Department in 1991 as a firefighter and became a Lieutenant in 1994.
Prior to his career with the Albion Fire Department, Chief Valentine served in the United States Air Force from 1982 to 1986. He additionally worked as a volunteer firefighter for the Saylesville Fire Department, in Lincoln, Rhode Island, from 1980-1990.
