BEACON – The City of Beacon has hired its first full-time paid fire chief and Gary Van Voohis started on the job on Monday.
The Fishkill native who spent much of his career in Illinois, most recently as an assistant fire chief, will be in charge of the 30-plus volunteer firefighters and 13 paid firefighters in Beacon.
Mayor Randy Casale has set the new chief’s agenda for him already.
“One of the main things we are hoping he can accomplish is the start of recruitment and retention for volunteer firefighters that we can fill the ranks of volunteers and bring more cohesion between the volunteers and paid ranks because they will be answering to one boss,” the mayor said.
The Beacon Fire Department operates three firehouses.
Van Voohis will earn $85,000 a year as chief.