Stanley “Skip” Cirella was sworn in as deputy police chief and Michael Sullivan as deputy fire chief Monday night, filling positions that had been vacant for the past year. Both men, Cirella with the EGPD for 19 years and Sullivan with EGFD for 25 years, brought records of heroism in the line of duty to their new jobs.
The promotions took place at the beginning of the Town Council meeting at Swift Community Center Monday, July 14.
The positions opened up a year ago after, then-Police Chief Tom Coyle decided to apply for town manager upon the departure of longtime Town Manager Bill Sequino in June 2013. Simultaneously, the town’s acquisition of the East Greenwich Fire District prompted the departure of then-Fire Chief Peter Henrikson. In both cases, the deputy chiefs assumed the top position – Stephen Brown at police and Russell McGillivray at fire.
At the promotion ceremony, Brown noted that Cirella, head of the EGPD union since 2002, had been honored for two life-saving incidents, one in 2005 and one in 2009, when he helped to put out flames after a man lit himself on fire on Main Street.
McGillivray highlighted Sullivan’s actions during the Station Nightclub fire, when he transported three people to three different hospitals that night. In addition, McGillivray noted Sullivan’s actions during the Trafalgar East apartment fire, where he rescued a fellow firefighter who had fallen through the roof.
Both men received enthusiastic applause from the many gathered for the event.