Saturday, July 12, 2014

Promotional Ceremony for Battalion Chief, Captains and Lieutenants

On Wednesday evening, July 9th, the Cherry Hill Fire Department held a promotional ceremony for the following:

• Battalion Chief Tom Gaeta
• Captain Brett DeLucca
• Captain Chris Dollarton
• Captain Art West
• Lieutenant Robert MacDermott
• Lieutenant Chris Passer
• Lieutenant Kirk Tharp

In attendance were family and friends of all seven members, along with fellow firefighters and fire officers of the Cherry Hill Fire Department.

The evening began with opening remarks from Acting Fire Chief Tom Kolbe who welcomed family and friends to the ceremony. Chief Kolbe spoke about the process, the achievements and opportunities that lie ahead for the newly promoted Battalion Chief, Captains and Lieutenants. Following this, each Officer was asked to stand and take the oath of office before having their badge pinned on by a loved one.

The Office of the Fire Chief and the Cherry Hill Board of Fire Commissioners congratulates these Officers and wish them well in their new positions. 

Acting Chief Tom Kolbe

Battalion Chief Tom Gaeta
Battalion Chief Tom Gaeta is a life‐long Cherry Hill resident joining the Woodland Fire Co in 1987 as a volunteer firefighter. This experience developed into a life‐long love for the job. In 1991, BC Gaeta was hired by District #1 fulfilling his goal to become a career firefighter. He has worked in Stations 1, 2, 22, 3, 4 and 5 and is currently the Training Officer in the Training Division. He looks forward to the challenges of his new position. BC Gaeta is a graduate of Camden County College, Holy Family and St. Joseph’s Universities.


Battalion Chief Tom Gaeta taking the Oath of Office

Battalion Chief Tom Gaeta badge pinning by his wife Kathleen

































Captains DeLucca, Dollarton and West 

taking the Oath of Office



Captain Brett DeLucca
Captain Brett DeLucca began his career in 2002 assigned to SD 13 where he remained for 7 years. He was transferred to the FCO in 2009 as a Floating Firefighter and was promoted to Lieutenant, remaining in the FCO as a Float Officer. Brett was transferred to TL24 in 2010 and remained there until he was transferred in 2013 to the Training and Safety Division as the Fire Training Officer. Captain DeLucca is assigned as Station 5 Commander and SQ1351 A Platoon.

Captain Brett DeLucca badge pinning by his wife Dana and son Vincent


Captain Chris Dollarton
Captain Chris Dollarton joined the newly consolidated Fire Department on January 1, 1994 as a Provisional Firefighter/EMT and was appointed full‐time in October of 1994. He has been assigned to E42 and E52 as a Firefighter, to the Office of the Fire Chief as a Staff Officer, the Field Command Office as a Float Officer, and following his promotion to Lieutenant in 2010 at SQ1351. Captain Dollarton’s new assignment is Station 22 Commander and E1322, B Platoon.

Captain Chris Dollarton badge pinning by his daughters Annie & Emma




Captain Art West
Captain Art West was hired full‐time with the Department in 1996 after spending 4 years as a volunteer and two years as a parttime member. He has been assigned to several stations including Station 3 where he has served for 14 of his 19 years of service. Captain West was promoted to Lieutenant in 2006 and was assigned to FCO for one year and then reassigned to Station 3 where he served until now. Captain West is also a Rescue Specialist with NJTF‐1, where he serves the entire state of NJ with his expertise

Captain Art West badge pinning by his daughter Isabella





Lieutenants MacDermott, Passer and Tharp
taking the Oath of Office




Lieutenant Robert MacDermott
Lt. Robert MacDermott has been a member of the CHFD for over 17 years. Newly assigned to L‐34/R13 C; his previous assignments were E32/R13, SQ31/R13, L34/R13 and SQ51. He has served as a Drill Instructor in the CHFD Recruit Academy and as an instructor in firefighting and technical rescue subjects. Lt. MacDermott also represents the CHFD as a member of the NJUSAR Task Force 1 as a Rescue Manager and works as an instructor with Rutgers University/NJ‐TF1ʹs technical rescue program. He has served as an instructor at the Camden County Emergency Training Center and currently works for Safety & Survival Training LLC as a fire service/technical rescue instructor. Lt. MacDermott is a tenor drummer with the Camden
County Police & Fire Pipes and Drums.


Lieutenant Robert MacDermott badge pinning by his wife Donna and son Gavin




Lieutenant Chris Passer
Lt. Chris Passer began his career with the CHFD in August 2003, Recruit Class 03‐01. After completing his recruit training, Lt. Passer was assigned to SD13A, until his promotion to Lieutenant. During his tenure at the SD Co, Lt. Passer received specialized training in HazMat response and played a role in many of the advancements of the SD Co. Lt. Passer served as a Fire Instructor for the Recruit Academy. He is currently attending the American Military University where he is completing his Bachelors Degree in Fire Science Management.



Lieutenant Chris Passer badge pinning by his daughter Madelyn





Lieutenant Kirk Tharp
Lieutenant Kirk Tharp has been a member of the fire service for 23 years; 8 of those years with the CHFD. He has served the CHFD as a firefighter since August of 2006, with assignments at L1324, E1352, SQ1331, L1334 and R13. Lieutenant Tharpʹs promotion will transfer him to the Training and Safety Division. Kirk has also contributed to the fire service as an adjunct fire instructor with Camden County College’s Regional Emergency Training Center for the past 15 years and is currently a course coordinator for the Firefighter 1 basic recruit program and the Technical/Industrial Rescue programs.


Lieutenant Kirk Tharp badge pinning by Peg Palcko