Boston Fire Department - Experts & Thought Leaders

EarthSafe Chemical Alternatives is known for developing the EvaClean Infection Prevention Solution, which firefighters use to mitigate pathogens in their fire stations and emergency vehicles. In a continuing effort to help protect the health of first responders, EarthSafe launched a safer, more sustainable line of industrial-strength products, in order to address hazardous spills and inhibit harmful molds. Joe Finn, the former Boston Fire Commissioner, Chief of the Department, and current First Responder Safety Advisor for EvaClean, said “Firefighters and EMS personnel handle all kinds of emergencies, including hazardous spill clean-ups and mold remediation. To ensure the health and welfare of our first responders, the chemicals they use to mitigate these issues in the field must be as safe and effective, as the disinfectants they use in the firehouse.” FlashDry, EarthSafe’s safer absorbent solution FlashDry is EarthSafe’s safer absorbent solution for hazardous and non-hazardous leaks and spills FlashDry is EarthSafe’s safer absorbent solution for hazardous and non-hazardous leaks and spills. It is made from 100% organic coir, a coconut fiber that is non-carcinogenic and safe to handle. Clay absorbents with granular crystalline Silica generate highly carcinogenic Silica dust and create excessive amounts of toxic waste. Clay is also heavy to apply and often requires secondary cleaning to remove residues. FlashDry is not only lighter, with seven times the absorbency, but it also costs less. FlashDry is a more sustainable way to clean up oil and chemical spills, without putting first responders at risk. To further illustrate the differences between absorbents, EarthSafe prepared a video comparison. XMold Pro EarthSafe’s line of industrial-strength cleaning solutions includes a more effective way to mitigate water damage and sick building syndrome at a lower cost per square foot. XMold Pro inhibits the growth of harmful molds and protects indoor and outdoor surfaces yet is harmless to personnel and the environment. Moreover, XMold Pro is the only protectant with Superstratum Smart Polymers. XMold’s partnership with Superstratum provides a unique smart polymer technology coupled with EPA-registered antimicrobials to create a long-lasting stimuli-responsive barrier against microbes and bacteria. It is also black light-sensitive for complete coverage assurance. XMold Pro can be applied using traditional methods or, for large areas, it works with EvaClean’s Protexus electrostatic sprayers, covering 100 square feet in just one minute. PurTabs Sanitizer and Disinfectant PurTabs Sanitizer and Disinfectant is another EvaClean product that works in concert with XMold Pro. PurTabs has the lowest toxicity rating with an EPA registered mold kill claim and, when followed by EarthSafe’s XMold Pro Inhibitor and Protectant, provides a complete and safe solution. Steve Wilson, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at EarthSafe, said “With Joe’s guidance, our team is developing safer cleaning technologies to better protect first responders both in the firehouse and on the job.”

Affirming a key commitment to reform the City’s development process to elevate planning and ensure that growth delivers the resources to address urgent challenges, Mayor Michelle Wu appointed James Arthur Jemison II as the City’s inaugural Chief of Planning. Jemison’s role In this role, Jemison returns to Boston with the charge to advance the Mayor’s vision for planning that creates a more equitable, resilient, transit-oriented, and affordable city, and aligns development with those goals. Jemison will coordinate and direct all City plans, land use directives, and all related development policies and processes. He will begin his new role in late May. Mayor comments With his experience across city, state, and federal government, Arthur will help drive our agenda forward" “With his deep experience across city, state, and federal government tackling housing instability and building more equitable communities, Arthur will help drive our agenda forward to make Boston a city for everyone,” said Mayor Wu. “In this moment of urgent challenge and opportunity, Boston’s growth must reflect the possibilities for our brightest future from affordable housing and racial equity, to climate resilience and healthy, connected communities.” Arthur comments "I'm incredibly grateful to Mayor Wu for the opportunity to bring my expertise and passion for equitable development back to Boston,” said Arthur Jemison. “I am honored to have the opportunity to work with Bostonians to reform the development process and create the kind of growth that reflects our values.” Jemison’s responsibilities Jemison will have the responsibility of coordinating and elevating the land use planning efforts across all City of Boston department planning teams, including the planning functions of the Boston Transportation Department, the Environment Department, the Mayor’s Office of Housing, Public Works, Public Facilities, Boston Public Schools, Boston Public Libraries and other departments while ensuring these efforts align into a comprehensive vision for the future of Boston. The Chief of Planning will also play a central role in structurally reforming the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) and leading ongoing planning, zoning, and development. New additional appointment Mayor Wu will ask the BPDA Board of Directors to appoint Jemison as the BPDA’s director at their next meeting As Chief, Jemison will work with the BPDA Board and BPDA staff to advance reforms that ensure a planning-led approach to development review. Mayor Wu will ask the BPDA Board of Directors to appoint Jemison as the BPDA’s director at their next regularly scheduled meeting on May 12, 2022, although Jemison will not receive additional compensation from the BPDA on top of his City of Boston salary. Work experience Jemison is a creative public-private development leader with 28 years of planning and affordable housing expertise, working with community members to create equitable places in Detroit, MI, Washington D.C., and Boston, MA. Most recently before joining the City of Boston, Jemison served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where he led the Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) and served as the policy lead and HUD partner for American Cities, Counties, States, and other local units of government. Role in city’s growth Under Jemison’s leadership, the CPD administered the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and CDBG - Disaster Recovery Funds, as well as the HOME Partnership program, Homelessness Assistance Grants (HAG), and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), among other funds.  Jemison joined HUD from the City of Detroit, where he was Group Executive for Planning, Housing & Development, leading the City’s efforts toward equitable growth, working in partnership with Directors of the Housing & Revitalization Department, the Planning & Development Department, the Detroit Land Bank Authority, Detroit Housing Commission, and the Bridging Neighborhoods program. Role in strategy and development Jemison led strategy, deployment, and management of municipal housing policy In early 2014, Jemison was recruited by Mayor Michael Duggan to be the Director of the Housing & Revitalization Department for the City of Detroit, to assist as the City recovered from bankruptcy. In that capacity, Jemison led strategy, deployment, and management of municipal housing policy and U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) entitlement funding.  Before going to Detroit, Jemison served as Deputy Undersecretary and Deputy Director for the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under Governor Deval Patrick. Public and private-sector positions Before that, he held a variety of public and private-sector positions, all related to city planning and urban development, primarily in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. This includes service at Massachusetts Port Authority, Boston Housing Authority, the then-Boston Redevelopment Authority, and private development work at GLC Development Resources. It also includes service in the District of Columbia, as the City emerged from Control Board management during the first term of Mayor Anthony Williams. Education and rewards Jemison has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He also holds a Master of City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow. Jemison is also a 2021 Spirit of Detroit Award winner, a 2016 Michigan Chronicle Men / Women of Excellence awardee, and a member of the team recognized with the 2013 Robert Larson Public Policy Award for Workforce Housing from the Urban Land Institute, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Deputy Chief Appointment Devin Quirk will be responsible for implementing Mayor Wu and Chief Jemison’s vision for the BPDA Mayor Wu also announced that Devin Quirk will serve as Deputy Chief of Operations & Organizational Transformation under Jemison. In this new role, he will be responsible for implementing Mayor Wu and Chief Jemison’s vision for the transformation of the BPDA as well as overseeing the daily operations of the Agency. Experience and education Quirk has worked for the City of Boston for over a decade and has held positions in the CFO’s Office, the Mayor’s Office of Housing, and at the BPDA, where he currently serves as Director of Real Estate. He holds a master's in Public Policy and Urban Planning from the Harvard Kennedy School and will bring significant experience in community development, real estate finance, and affordable housing creation to the role. He and his family live in Charlestown where they are a proud Boston Public Schools family.  Quirk comments I am committed to helping our team make thoughtful changes to systems and structures" “I am honored that Mayor Wu and Chief Jemison have asked me to take on this challenge,” said Quirk. “This is a unique moment in Boston’s history, and we have the opportunity to bring together the talented staff at City Hall with community members to shape the future of how development happens in Boston.” “I am committed to helping our team make thoughtful changes to systems and structures, build trust with communities, and advance the inclusive growth of our incredible City.” Open recruitment efforts In the weeks ahead, Mayor Wu and Chief Jemison plan to open recruitment efforts to attract planning and urban design professionals, including the first-ever Deputy Chief of Urban Design to elevate the importance of design on this new leadership team. New hires will add capacity to the existing and talented staff, while also creating a transformation-oriented workforce capable of executing a new approach to planning and development in Boston.

First responders are a close-knit community, and most everyone knows the name, Joseph E. Finn. During a life-long career with the Boston Fire Department spanning close to four decades, Finn worked his way through the ranks to Fire Commissioner/Chief of Department, earning the moniker of Boston’s top firefighter. He is credited with making numerous enhancements to the fire safety and EMS fields, and has received many prestigious honors, including Fire Chief of the Year. But, Finn is most known for introducing wellness programs to reduce epidemic level cancer rates among firefighters. Minimize carcinogen exposure Although recently retired from his position as Boston Fire Commissioner, Finn continues to advocate for ways to minimize carcinogen exposure for fire service personnel. Along similar lines, Finn also spearheaded a movement toward creating healthier firehouse environments. Driven by a passion to protect fellow firefighters and EMTs from viral pathogens, Finn has now assumed the role of First Responder Safety Advisor to EvaClean Infection Prevention Solutions. Finn said, “The more I learned about EvaClean, the more benefits I could see from using the best technologies and safer disinfectants to mitigate pathogens in firehouse settings. The biggest benefit is protecting firefighters and EMTs from illness and disease, as well as reducing the loss of critical man-hours when emergency personnel get sick.” Protection against viruses Most firefighters spend 48 hours a week living and working in firehouses, treating them much like second homes Most firefighters spend 48 hours a week living and working in firehouses, treating them much like second homes. In such close quarters, any illness has the potential to impact everyone in the station, as well as EMTs in the field. Inevitably, when COVID-19 arrived on the scene, it impacted firehouses all across the country. “The advent of COVID magnified how important cleaning and disinfection is,” said Finn. “We need to ensure our firefighters are protected against viruses and bacteria before firehouses become incubators for contagious diseases.” Public safety leadership In an advisory capacity, Finn will help guide EvaClean’s first responder safety initiatives. He will also facilitate relationships with firefighter and EMS organizations, consult on outreach programs, support conference exhibitions, and liaison with public safety leadership. Dan Clifford, EvaClean CMO said, “Our solution was designed specifically to address the kind of harmful pathogens found in most firehouse environments. Under Joe’s stewardship, our efforts to protect the health and safety of first responders will be infinitely more successful.”