Fire Chief

Christopher W. Norris has been involved in the fire service since April 1994 and was appointed Fire Chief for the City of Easthampton in July 2020. Chief Norris completed his Master’s Degree in Fire Science and Administration from Anna Maria College, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Westfield State University, and his Ph.D in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Emergency Management.  Mr. Norris has completed the Executive Fire Officer Program through the United States Fire Administration and also the prestigious Senior Executive in State and Local Government Program through the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Most recently, Chief Norris was recognized by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) as only one of thirty-one individuals in the entire Country to earn both International designations as a Chief Fire Officer (CFO) and Chief Emergency Medical Services Officer (CEMSO).  In addition, Mr. Norris has been recognized as a Chief Training Officer (CTO) and Fire Marshal (FM) through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.  In 2014, Mr. Norris was selected as one of twenty fire service personnel across the Country to participate in the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI) Program through the International Association of Fire Chiefs sponsored by Motorola. This is a year-long program that examines current issues, challenges, innovations, and leadership models in the fire service.  Mr. Norris also teaches for the Massachusetts Firefighter Academy as one of the Lead Instructors in the Structural, Flashover, and Instructor Methodology Programs, and is the Statewide Program Coordinator for the Call/Volunteer Recruit Training Program. Mr. Norris is a member of the International Association of County/City Managers Association (ICMA), Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts (FCAM), New England Association of Fire Chief’s (NEAFC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Hampshire County Fire Chiefs, Western Massachusetts Fire Chief’s Association (WMFCA), Hampshire County EMS, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).