Eric Mattson named Swanzey’s new fire chief, Norman Skantze returns as deputy chief

The Town of Swanzey has appointed a new Fire Chief. During a special meeting on Monday, the town Board of Selectmen appointed Interim Chief Eric Mattson to the role permanently. He’s served as interim chief since the beginning of the year when the town parted ways with former chief William Gould. Mattson has been a member of the Swanzey Fire Department since 1995. He’s currently an Advanced EMT, Firefighter II, and most recently held the rank of Deputy Chief and Fire Inspector. He also previously worked for the Keene Fire Department, and holds an associate’s degree in fire science from Lakes Region Community College. In addition to Mattson’s appointment, the town also appointed two Deputy Chiefs; Michael Burke, a retired captain/shift commander at the Keene Fire Department, and former Swanzey Fire Chief Norman Skantze.
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Keene Fire Chief resigns

Keene’s Fire Chief has resigned from his position and is returning to his hometown. The City announced Chief Donald Farquhar’s resignation in a news release Monday evening. He was hired in October of 2021 as Deputy Chief and was promoted to Chief in April of 2022. Farquhar said that it’s been an honor serving the City. “Keene is an amazing city, and I am deeply appreciative to have been given an opportunity to serve,” he said in the release. Prior to coming to Keene, he served as General Dynamics Electric Board Chief in Groton, Connecticut, after retiring as Battalion Chief from the Manchester, Connecticut Fire Department. The City said Farquhar’s leadership was instrumental in managing Keene Fire Department EMS services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the “challenging time” following the closure of DiLuzio Ambulance.
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