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Deputy Chief John Gerry Giunta Named Salem’s New Fire Chief

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll appoints long-serving Deputy Chief to position
Posted on: October 10, 2018 - 11:59am
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Mayor Kim Driscoll today announced that Deputy Chief John “Gerry” Giunta will be appointed as the City’s new Chief of the Salem Fire Department.

Deputy Chief Giunta joined the Salem Fire Department as a firefighter in 1983 and served on Engine 1 and Ladder 2. He served as Lieutenant with Engines 1, 2 and 3 from 1986 to 1993, Captain on Ladder 1 and Tower 2 from 1993 to 2007, and has been a Deputy Chief since 2007. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science from North Shore Community College. Deputy Chief Giunta is a member of FEMA’s Massachusetts Urban Search and Rescue Task Force and has served as the Task Force leader since 2006. In his time with the Task Force, Deputy Chief Giunta has deployed in response to Hurricanes Harvey, Irene, and Katrina, the 2011 Springfield tornadoes, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and as operations leader with a 70-member urban search and rescue team in New York City following the attacks on September 11, 2001. He is a licensed EMT and Hazardous Materials Technician, completed the Fire Department Leadership Academy at Endicott College, and has received extensive FEMA trainings in incident command, rescue, and more. Since March 2018 Deputy Chief Giunta has served as the Department’s Acting Chief, following the retirement of his predecessor, Chief David Cody.

“I am so pleased to welcome Deputy Chief Giunta into his new role as Chief of the Department,” said Mayor Driscoll. “Gerry is exceptionally qualified to serve in this position and lead the department. His experiences, in Salem and elsewhere, have prepared him well to manage both the daily work of the Fire Department and to oversee the many large-scale events and emergency management tasks that are the Chief’s responsibility. I’m excited to appoint Gerry to this position and look forward to working alongside him and all the men and women of the department to help ensure our community remains safe, welcoming, and vibrant.”

“I am incredibly humbled to be offered the position of Chief of the Salem Fire Department,” said Deputy Chief Giunta. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine this, when I got on the job in 1983 and actually rode on the back step of the apparatus. I want to thank Mayor Driscoll for having the faith in me to fill this important position. I would like to also thank so many that have supported me on this journey. Lastly, I would like to thank my wife, Donna for staying by my side through all that my career has delivered. It has sure been an incredible experience!”

The Salem Fire Department is one of the City’s largest, with 95 full-time equivalent employees and a budget of just more than $9.2 million. Last fiscal year, the department responded to 7,116 emergency calls, provided mutual aid to surrounding communities on 63 separate occasions, and conducted nearly 2,000 fire inspections. As the City’s designated emergency management agency, in addition to routine fire prevention and firefighting work, the Salem Fire Department works to protect the lives and property of the residents of Salem from fire, sudden medical emergencies, and dangerous conditions created by either people or nature.