Wellesley's new Fire Chief, Stephen "Steve" Mortarelli, took the oath of office at the Select Board meeting on Monday, July 15.
A 16-year member of the Wellesley Fire Department, Mortarelli is a proven leader and mentor to many and was previously Deputy Fire Chief. In front of his family, friends, and many members of the department, he was sworn in by Town Clerk K.C. Kato, promising to:
Faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all duties incumbent upon me as the appointed Fire Chief for the Town of Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Bear true faith and allegiance to, and uphold and defend, the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to uphold the ordinances and bylaws of the Town of Wellesley.
Solemnly swear that I will never betray my integrity, my character, or the public trust, always having the courage to hold myself and others accountable for their actions.
He received his Fire Chief pin from his father.
Mortarelli started his career in fire service as a Call Firefighter/EMT in the Town of Sherborn, also worked for the Town of Wayland, and joined WFD in 2007 where he rose through the ranks and was named Deputy Chief in 2019.
In his years with the department, he has overseen fire prevention for all commercial and residential projects in Wellesley, commanded regular shifts and WFD emergency operations, and also served as the WFD liaison for the Boston Marathon, among many other duties.
Mortarelli has extensive knowledge of Town and Fire operations, holds degrees in both Fire Science and Business Administration, completed the Chief Fire Officer program at the Massachusetts Fire Academy, and is a graduate of the Endicott College Leadership Academy.
He took over from Interim Wellesley Fire Chief David Soar on Tuesday, July 16.
Congratulations Chief Mortarelli!