Taunton's new fire chief takes the reins — What he wants to do, calls he'll never forget
TAUNTON — In his first week as Taunton’s new Fire Chief, Steven Lavigne said he’s “having a ball” as he continues “seeing the other side of the Fire Department.”
In his 34 years as a member of the Taunton Fire Department, Lavigne, 56, has been all about duty to his city … and to those who serve alongside him.
“If you want to do good, serve your community and have a positive effect, then this is the place to do it,” he said.
Lavigne took over as chief on Aug. 13 when former Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw retired after serving 13 years as chief, and 28 years total with the Taunton Fire Department.
Said Lavigne about Bradshaw: “He put us in a good spot to succeed. My job is to continue what he left behind. He established the foundation. Now it’s up to me to build upon it.”
Said Bradshaw before he retired: "Chief Steve Lavigne is a seasoned, experienced fire officer with a ton of knowledge to draw from. He has a lot of knowledge regarding what firefighters need to do the job because he has worked on a frontline engine for many years until transitioning to chief.
"The Taunton Fire Department has been a home for me and my family for many generations and I know I left the department in capable hands and solid leadership under Chief Lavigne."
From a public safety family
“Born, raised and never left” Taunton, duty and service were traits instilled in Lavigne from the beginning, as he comes from a family dedicated to public safety. His father was a Massachusetts State Police trooper.
After graduating from Coyle and Cassidy High School in 1984, Lavigne would spend the next several years figuring out what his career path would be. He worked in construction and spent several years with different academic institutions. He got his associate's degree in Fire Science at Bristol Community College.
He eventually decided he “wanted to follow in his father's footsteps" and enter law enforcement.
Lavigne took the civil service test and passed to be a state trooper. He said he was close to being hired, but the state instituted a hiring freeze at the last possible minute.
After this setback Lavigne looked into working at the Taunton Fire Department, another family tradition; his great-uncle was former Taunton Fire Chief Carlton Galligan Sr. He took the test and was hired in 1989, at age 22.
“I found my calling here. Time has been very good for me here. I never looked back,” he said.
Community service continues to run in his family, two of his sons, Evan and Seth Lavigne, serve as Taunton police officers. His nephew is Kevin Lavigne, currently serving as a lieutenant with the Fire Department.
His wife, Kimberly, recently retired after serving 36 years with the Taunton Housing Authority.
"You don’t get this far without sacrifice,” Lavigne said about his wife's dedication, adding he wouldn’t be where he is without her.
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Giving back as much as he gets
Lavigne said over the years he worked hard to absorb the knowledge and experience from the many veterans he worked alongside.
“The way they approached the job. You see the professionalism, the dedication, the hard work. That’s what I wanted to emulate,” he said.
Lavigne rose through the ranks of the Taunton Fire Department. He became a lieutenant after eight years of service. He would work as a fire prevention officer for several years before being promoted to captain in 2006.
Teaching and training, both for him and other officers, are two passions for Lavigne. Early on as captain he was assigned as training officer for the department.
He explained, as a training officer, you need to know almost everything regarding protocol, policy and how equipment works, and “I was able to get my fingers into everything” regarding the different divisions and responsibilities with running the fire department.
It was during this time he also served as an instructor at the Fall River Fire Academy. Regarding teaching the new generations, Lavigne would count his time as training officer, both for the department and with academies, as “some of my most rewarding times here.”
In 2011, Lavigne was promoted to house captain for the fire station on Bay Street. He would stay in this role until becoming chief.
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The days he'll never forget
Lavigne doesn’t necessarily reminisce over past calls he’s had over his career.
“I’ve been involved in many rescues, and health and safety,” adding “it’s part of the job” and early on “I was told if you end your shift with the same guys you started with, then you did your job.”
He did recall two particular days.
The first one was March 9, 1989, where his first fire ever on the line was immediately followed by his second fire. After putting out a fire on North Walker Street, his engine headed over to the incomplete North Woods Condominiums property, now where the BJ's Wholesale Club on Bay Street exists, for a lengthy and massive general alarm “surround and drown” campaign.
According to the March 10, 1989 issue of the Patriot Ledger, more than 200 firefighters came from 19 communities to battle this blaze, which went from night into the next day. Lavigne remembers that massive fire as both “thrilling and pure misery.”
The second incident was Dec. 30, 2010, when the Taunton Fire Department put out an apartment house fire on Barnum Street. Seven people, including a 3-year old girl who suffered smoke inhalation, were rescued.
Citations for professionalism and bravery were handed out by then Mayor Charles Crowley and the state’s House of Representatives to then Captain Lavigne, as well as 16 other firefighters, and one Taunton police officer.
Training the next generation
As fire chief, Lavigne said he “isn’t going to reinvent the wheel” but “keep it rolling.”
A big focus for Lavigne concerns the predicted high turnover rate the department will face over the next several years due to numerous retirements.
As Lavigne sees it, that’s a lot of knowledge and experience the department will be losing, so “We have to be ready for that. We have to have a succession plan.”
This will only be accomplished through an increase in training and educational opportunities across the department. Lavigne points out the department has more certified instructors than ever before.
“There’s a lot of growth through the younger officers that we need to address. My job is to make sure this department moves in the correct direction for that.”
First to serve in brand new public safety building
Lavigne will be the first fire chief to move into the city’s first dual public safety complex for both Police and Fire.
“The Administration (of Mayor Shaunna O'Connell) has been fantastic in addressing our needs. We’re moving forward. This new facility is proof of that,” Lavigne said.
Lavigne will be responsible for transitioning the headquarters from the Central Fire Station to the new complex when it's completed.
A big component of the new complex will be an all-new training facility for the Fire Department, something that’s been lacking for decades and one that Lavigne is excited about.
“This will enhance our ability to train our own,” he said.
As the department’s operations move from Central Fire Station into the 21st century with a new building complex, he remains committed to addressing the infrastructure needs of the other four fire stations, three of which, like Central Fire, were built in the 1800s.
“This administration is moving forward trying to address the older buildings. It’s a matter of finding the funding,” he said, adding “we make the stations work.”
O’Connell said of Lavigne, "through his 34 years of service with the Taunton Fire Department, Chief Lavigne has risen through the ranks and served in a variety of capacities, giving him a broad and comprehensive understanding of the Fire Department.
"I look forward to working with Chief Lavigne and am confident the Department will continue to grow and flourish under his leadership."
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton's new Fire Chief Steven Lavigne takes reins from Tim Bradshaw
