By Andreas Yilma, Staff Writer
NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck Fire Department has a new fire marshal.
The department has promoted David Hardt, who has been a dispatcher with the department since 2012, to fire marshal.
“I’m looking forward to working with the citizens of the borough,” Hardt said. “Now that the fire marshal’s office is fully staffed, the fire marshal’s office is going to set up goals on setting up procedures and inspections and how to make the office run more efficiently.”
Hardt said his door is always open and his office will work with residents and business owners to make the borough safer.
Hardt, a Waterbury native and Oakville resident, filled the vacancy created when former Fire Marshal Robert Weaver retired last June. Deputy Fire Marshal James Gies served as interim fire marshal until Hardt’s appointment.
The fire marshal is a non-union position. Hardt’s contract with the borough runs through June 30, 2022. His base salary is $87,500 this year, according to the contract.
Under the contract, Hardt is eligible for a high deductible health care plan with an annual deductible of $2,000/$4,000. He pays 10% of the premium for health care this year, according to the contract. His share increases every calendar year to 13% on Jan. 1, 2022.
Before joining the fire department as a dispatcher, Hardt worked for the Connecticut Department of Corrections and retired in 2010 as a fire safety supervisor.
Hardt has a lengthy resume in fire service. He has been involved with the Watertown Fire Department, a volunteer agency, since 1985. He served as deputy fire chief from 1997 to 2017, deputy fire marshal from 2014 to 2017, and emergency management director from 2000 to 2012 for the department.
Hardt also served as the fire marshal and deputy fire marshal in Bethlehem, and deputy fire marshal in Morris. He is presently the fire marshal in Morris.
Fire Chief Ellen Murray said the department had two very good internal candidates for the fire marshal position. Hardt came out as the top candidate due to his extensive background. He also stood out in the in-house interview process, she said.
“I would say it’s his years of experience as a fire marshal and I think he has a good personality with working well with the public,” Murray said.
