Fire Commissioner Finn: ‘It’s time to be with my family more’ 

Fire Commissioner Joe Finn in command as Mayor Walsh has his back. WBUR/Jessie Costa photo

Boston Fire Commissioner Joe Finn will retire next week, concluding his nearly 36 years of service to the city’s firefighting force. Appointed by Mayor Martin Walsh in 2014, Finn, a Dorchester native, served as commissioner of the department for five-and-a-half years. 

In a statement on Monday, Finn called his work at the BFD “rewarding though challenging at times,” adding, “Now it is time to be with my family more.”

The commissioner used the occasion to cite the “tremendous support” he had received “from Mayor Martin Walsh and a great, beneficial relationship with BFD Local 718.” He added, “It’s been my honor to lead and work with the dedicated uniform and civilian staff of the BFD.”

He continued: “I’ll miss the great support we receive in the neighborhoods but know that the men and women who make up the BFD are the best, highly trained professionals who serve with distinction and compassion. Trucks and tools are nice but it’s boots on the ground that make our mission work.” 

Walsh commended Finn in return, saying, “I want to thank Joe Finn for his years of service in protecting the Boston community as a firefighter, and for his leadership as commissioner. Under his stewardship, the Boston Fire Department has put a renewed focus on health and wellness to reduce the cancer rate among its members and has ushered in a new era at the fire department with historic investments in firehouses, apparatus, training and equipment. His steadfast commitment to the men and women of the fire department never wavered, and for that, the city of Boston is grateful.” 

The mayor added: “I look forward to naming Boston’s next fire commissioner in the coming days.”

During his time as commissioner, Finn established a training program that increased the number of EMTs on the department by 50 percent and assisted in the development of state regulations implementing semi-automatic external defibrillators. 

He also served as a committee member on the mayor’s task force for the integration of Boston Emergency Medical Services into the BFD, and as a committee member for the Massachusetts Human Resource Division in the development and implementation of a new entry-level firefighters test.

Finn joined the department in October 1984 after serving in the Marines from 1979 to 1982. Going forward, Finn wrote, “I’ll be continuing on a part time basis in the fire service” as he “weighs several opportunities.” 


Subscribe to the Dorchester Reporter