By Ellie Oleson
Telegram & Gazette
Copyright 2007 Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
OXFORD, Mass. — It took a century and a half, but Oxford last night became one of very few communities in Massachusetts to have a female chief officer in the town’s fire/EMS department.
Sheri R. Bemis, 44, was promoted from lieutenant to assistant chief, making her the first female chief officer in the department’s 151-year history and the fifth chief-level female firefighter in Massachusetts, according to Fire Chief Jeffrey A. Wilson.
Susan Labrie of Goshen became the state’s first female fire chief on Aug. 24, 2006, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association Web site, which also states that 94 percent of the state’s firefighters are men.
Jennie L. Caissie, chairwoman of the Oxford Board of Selectmen, said that Ms. Bemis’ promotion had meaning for the town and beyond.
“This says Oxford is very progressive. We award on merit. Sheri’s an exemplary employee and a woman who has risen to her position through hard work, dedication and a belief that girls can be anything they want to be,” Ms. Caissie said.
Ms. Bemis said she was just a child when she first realized she wanted to become a firefighter and emergency medical technician: “When I was a kid, I watched `Emergency’ on TV. It was all about paramedics and firefighters. I knew then.”
Born in Virginia, she was raised in Rhode Island before moving to Oxford, where she received her EMT training and, later, was sponsored to attend the Massachusetts Fire Academy.
She joined the Oxford Fire Department as a call firefighter in 1987 and became an EMT in 1988, earning paramedic status in 1998. One year later, she became a full-time paramedic and assistant EMS director, and is now EMS coordinator. Two years ago, she became a Certified Fire Officer I and II.
At her promotion ceremony, Fire Inspector Ken J. Sellers, president of the Oxford Permanent Firefighters Association, presented Ms. Bemis with a chief’s helmet and badge provided by the association.
“It took women a long time to break through, but Sheri did it,” Mr. Sellers said.
Chief Wilson presented Ms. Bemis with her golden chief’s badge, noting, “I want to officially transfer you from the world of silver to the world of gold.”
Ms. Bemis’ partner, Oxford Police Officer Carol A. Knapp, pinned on Ms. Bemis’ new badge and said, “I am very proud of her.”
Chief Wilson said, “Sheri is well-qualified for this position. She and I sit on the Central Mass. EMS Corp. She is responsible for writing statewide protocols, which detail what can be done in an ambulance. I am very comfortable leaving town with her and Ron Stevens here.”
“I’m very proud. This is a privilege,” Ms. Bemis said.
Also at last night’s ceremony, Chief Wilson made more town history when he eliminated the district chief system and appointed former District Chief Ronald C. Stevens, 41, as deputy chief.
“We used to have three district chiefs. A chief officer is not chief of a district, but chief of the fire department,” Chief Wilson said.
Mr. Stevens said he was 16 when he decided to be a firefighter. His great-grandfather and uncle were firefighters in California, he said.
Mr. Stevens grew up in Oxford, graduating from Oxford High School in 1983, the year he was appointed to the Fire Department. By 1990, he had risen through the ranks to district chief.
Last night, his wife, Mary A. Stevens, pinned on his new deputy chief’s badge.
“I’m very proud of him. He’s very dedicated. He left our son’s 1st birthday party and he has left me at restaurants to go to fires,” she said.