Stetson promoted to deputy fire chief for Tilton-Northfield

TILTON — Gregory Stetson and Sean Valovanie were hired in the same week by Tilton-Northfield Fire & EMS back in 2006, and while their journeys have been a bit different, the two are now sitting atop the ranks of the fire department, almost 20 years later.

Stetson was recently promoted from firefighter to deputy chief, a position he will start on Monday, Jan. 5. This fills a void left by Valovanie, who held that position before he took on the interim fire chief role last month, and accepted the full-time fire chief position on Dec. 1.

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to serve as the deputy chief,” Stetson said. “I look forward to working alongside the finest professionals in the area. We have the best group of guys and girls that any fire department could ask for.”

Stetson’s experience goes back more than two decades, to his days as a volunteer firefighter in Andover. He served with both the East Andover Fire Department and Andover EMS, where he is still an active member serving his hometown.

His full-time firefighting career began in May 2006, at Tilton-Northfield Fire, and several years later he left for the Franklin Fire Department, where he was the captain. Stetson returned to Tilton-Northfield in 2022, and has been serving on “A-Shift.”

Valovanie lauded his extensive experience in town and district leadership, noting Stetson played a key role in merging the East Andover and Andover fire departments. He also contributed to the transition of Andover Rescue from a private organization to a town department, and proposed and implemented the budget and capital reserves funds. Stetson also served on the Andover Capital Improvement Committee and Budget Committee.

Valovanie wrote in a release about his hiring that Stetson’s “attitude, knowledge, work ethic and experience” will be put to good use in department leadership.

“Gregory brings 20 years of experience in the fire service to the position, and is a well-educated and well-rounded firefighter with a strong work ethic,” Valovanie said on Monday. “He always has the best interest of his firefighters at heart.”

Valovanie said Stetson cares about the community wholeheartedly, and will bring this demeanor to leadership of the department. His primary responsibility will be training, fire prevention and day-to-day operation, and Valovanie said he will surely be able to help with the transition, as he held the position for more than three years.

“We will start, specifically, with training and fire prevention, and work our way into the role,” Valovanie said.

Stetson’s hiring creates a vacancy for a firefighter, and the department is currently in the process of filling it.

“We expect that firefighter position to be filled around the first of the year,” Valovanie said.

Stetson is looking forward to the next chapter, and next level, in his career. He and Valovanie have already discussed ideas for community risk reduction, how to make services more efficient, and overall improvements. Stetson said it is a changing atmosphere, and the Tilton-Northfield call volume is increasing, much like other communities.

“The challenges are always changing, so I’m looking forward to learning and preparing myself in the next level of my career, in this administrative role,” Stetson said.

Stetson officially assumes the role on Jan. 5, and will be sworn in by fire district commissioners at their Tuesday, Jan. 13, meeting.