Reader named Essex's new fire chief

Apr. 10—ESSEX — Ramie Reader will be confirmed as the new chief of the Essex Fire Department this Monday.

Reader, formerly the department's deputy chief, was promoted by the Board of Fire Engineers two weeks ago to active fire chief. He will be officially confirmed to his new position by selectmen when they meet Monday.

Reader told the Times he's still getting acquainted with a his new set of responsibilities, and has yet to consider any changes he'd like to see at the department.

"It's all very new," Reader said. "The past two weeks have been good though."

Reader has been working his way up the chain of command at the Essex Fire Department since 1983. Prior to his role as as deputy chief, he served as captain and lieutenant. On top of serving the Fire Department, Reader is an electrician who runs his own company, Reader Electrical.

Reader's promotion comes in wake of Chief Dan Doucette's retirement. Doucette accepted a position as an ambulance service inspector for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. He started his new job on March 20.

"I'm still a firefighter" at the Essex Fire Department, Doucette told the Times, "but my new job limits my availability, so I had to cut back on my responsibilities. I'll still be around town."

One of the last things Doucette did while chief was help secure the town a new 2021 Ford E-450 Horton Type III ambulance. Fall Town Meeting voted to allow the Fire Department to use a portion of the revenue garnered through ambulance transports to purchase the new vehicle. The oldest of the town's two ambulances, clocking in at 11 years old, will be retired. Doucette says the department rotates its ambulances with new models once every five years.

Michael Cronin may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or mcronin@gloucestertimes.com.