Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney

Chief Thomas Mahoney is a thirty two year veteran of the fire service, and the 9th Chief to lead Branford Fire Department. Chief Mahoney started his career in 1987 as a volunteer in his hometown of Madison, CT, joining the Madison Hose Co. #1. He served as an active volunteer for more than 25 years. During his time in Madison, he chaired the Public Fire Education Committee, helping to educate a generation of children on the importance of fire safety and prevention. 

As an instructor with the East Shore Fire Training Association, Madison Hose Co. # 1 and Branford FD, he helped train many young firefighters. Chief Mahoney was among the original members of the Connecticut Urban Search and Rescue Team, CTTF-1, formed after 9/11. He served as a volunteer with the team for eight years where he learned from among the best of the Connecticut fire service in technical rescue operations.

He has been a member of the New Haven Area Special Hazards Team, NHASH, or its predecessor as a Haz-Mat technician for 25 years. He also worked part-time for American Medical Response of CT and as a paramedic field instructor for more than 10 years. He is currently a contract instructor teaching CPR and Advanced Cardiac Life Support for Yale Emergency Medicine. Chief Mahoney is a certified Deputy Fire Marshal who gained experience in code enforcement, prevention and fire investigation working for the communities of Branford, Madison, and Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

Chief Mahoney began his career with Branford Fire Department as a Firefighter/ Paramedic in 1995; he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief of Operations in 2001, serving in this position for 14 years before his promotion to Chief in August of 2015. He has striven to exemplify excellence and promote harmony among the career and volunteer members of the department. It is with this philosophy that as Chief of Department, he promotes professionalism regardless of one’s motivation to serve. Shortly after his appointment to Chief, he formed a committee whose members represented the entire department to rewrite the mission statement and the core values of the department. This serves as the guiding document of the department.

Chief Mahoney lives in Branford with his wife Sherry. They have three grown children, Sean, Matthew and Tyler.

Memberships: IAFC, CTFDIA, CTFCA, CFMA, IAAI-CT

Licensed: Paramedic #00658

Certified: Firefighter III, Fire Service Instructor II, Fire Officer IV, Health and Safety Officer, Incident Safety Officer, 472 HAZMAT Tech. Rescue Technician- Rope Rescue II, Structural Collapse II, Trench, Confined Space, Vehicle and Machinery.

CT Fire Academy Recruit Class 9