Sean McCarthy Is New TMFD Fire Chief

by Judy Silberstein

(January 15, 2009) Town of Mamaroneck has a new fire chief, Sean McCarthy, who began volunteering as a firefighter when he was only nineteen. Now at age 35, with a total of 16 years as a firefighter and the last three as a deputy chief, he’ll be leading a department with more than 84 firefighters – 14 career members and 70-75 active volunteers (plus another two dozen associate volunteers).

Chief McCarthy was installed at the annual firefighters’ dinner on Saturday, January 10 along with Brendan Collins, first deputy chief, and Joseph Russo, second deputy chief.
“The Town of Mamaroneck is as lucky as can be because Sean McCarthy is following in the footsteps of very capable, competent, enthusiastic and mature chiefs.” said Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe. “Sean has worked under them and been trained by them – so we can expect to have an equally good year under him.”

This will be the 102nd year of the department’s operation. (See: Town of Mamaroneck Fire Department History: 1907-2007.) The past two chiefs have been David Commender and Matthew Peloso, who are continuing with the department as firefighters.

Chief McCarthy is a third generation Larchmont native, having grown up in a home on Willow Avenue owned first by his grandparents, then by his parents and now by his sister. He works locally as a mortgage broker and lives on N. Chatsworth Avenue, a minute’s drive from the Weaver Street Fire House, which allows him to quickly respond to emergencies “24/7.”

He recalled starting out as a volunteer with VAC, Larchmont’s ambulance corps, to fulfill a high school service commitment. “There were so many VAC members who were also firefighters,” he said. “And one thing led to the other.“

VAC and TMFD continue to have a strong relationship, with a number of VAC members also trained as firefighters. The department is also attracting other volunteers, said the chief. “We get a couple per month. We have a really strong membership and a lot of officers coming up.”