Westport First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker has announced the plans for the Westport Fire Department’s (WFD) transition following the retirement of Chief Michael Kronick.
Effective May 15, Deputy Chief Nicholas Marsan will be named the Emergency Management Director for the Town of Westport and as Acting Chief of the Fire Department.
About Nicholas Marsan:
Nicholas Marsan has been a member of the WFD since 2007 and has extensive experience in emergency operations and fire safety. He is a graduate of the Connecticut Fire Academy Class #41, is a nationally certified Fire Service Instructor III and Fire Officer III as well as a state-certified Fire Marshal. Nick holds a Master’s Degree in History from Western Connecticut State University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Emergency Management from Sacred Heart University. He has received numerous awards for his public safety work, including two Westport Rotary Public Protection & Safety Awards, three unit citations, and two department awards. Nick served in the US Army and CT Army National Guard and served in Afghanistan in 2010. In addition to his military service, Nick served the communities of Norwalk and Darien as a Fire Inspector. He is also a State Fire Instructor for the New York Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Acting Chief Marsan stated, “I acknowledge and thank Chief Kronick for his dedicated service to this department and to the Westport community. His contributions have laid a firm foundation for us to build upon, and he can be confident that the department will continue to be led with the highest level of professionalism, dedication, and compassion.”
About Michael Kronick:
Michael Kronick joined the WFD in July of 1998, rose through the ranks, and was promoted to Chief in January of 2022. During his career with the WFD, he was awarded the Edmund Duffy Unit Citation, the Chief Shippey, and the Argenio awards for service to the department. Mike graduated from Fairfield High School in 1991. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s in Fire Science from the University of New Haven.
Chief Kronick stated, “It has been an honor and privilege to serve the Town for nearly 25 years. I am fortunate to have worked with talented Westport firefighters and fire officers over these two decades, and I will leave with many good memories. I wish the department and my successor the best. I will always be proud to have been a Westport firefighter.”
First Selectwoman Tooker added, “The Town of Westport and its residents have been very fortunate to be the beneficiaries of both Mike’s and Nick’s capable and professional expertise for many years. As a result, I am confident that this transition will prove seamless.”
She continued, “On behalf of the citizens of Westport, his fellow employees, and his firefighting colleagues, I am thankful for Mike’s longstanding, exemplary and dedicated service. I wish him all the best as he enters this new chapter in his professional career.”