One might say Lt. Andrew Perry was destined to fill the new, shared position of firefighter and emergency medical technician for Harvard’s fire and ambulance services, a full-time position he started Oct. 16. Not only has Perry made a career in fire services and become an experienced EMT and emergency medical services paramedic, he is also a third-generation firefighter from the Warren-Perry family.
“We are very happy with the pick [of Lt. Perry for this position],” said Fire Chief Rick Sicard. “He was ready to hit the ground running.”
The Warren-Perry family has a long history of service with the Fire Department. From left: Justin Warren, Rob Warren, former chief Peter Warren, and Andrew Perry. (Courtesy photo)
Perry has a passion for the work. Promoted to lieutenant in June 2016, Perry has more than 13 years’ experience as a firefighter, including nine years in Harvard. Additionally, Perry has worked more than six years as an EMT with Harvard Ambulance Service.
Perry, it seems, was raised in the Harvard firehouse. Both his father and grandfather are retired Harvard fire chiefs: Steve Perry and Peter Warren. His uncle, also retired, is former Lt. Rob Warren. Cousin Justin Warren is an active firefighter. In all, a total of 101 years of fire service in Harvard has been attributed to the Warren-Perry family, as noted on the Harvard Fire Department’s Facebook page.
The firefighter-EMT position was the recommendation of a Collins Institue audit of the Fire Department and ambulance service completed in 2016. The position was approved by a majority vote of the 2017 Annual Town Meeting. Perry’s new responsibilities include conducting inspections for schools, homes, and commercial properties, and testing fire alarms. He will also respond to emergency calls for ambulance support as an EMT, covering daytime weekday hours that are difficult to staff. Perry sums up his new job mandate: Work at what you have to, when you need to.
Additionally, Perry will continue responding to fire calls. As a lieutenant, he is the officer in charge of the firefighters riding on the fire vehicle. He sits in the front passenger or “officer” seat. He also will continue in his role as the officer responsible for training Harvard firefighters.
Perry and his wife were out with their two girls trick-or-treating this Halloween in the town center—he was authentically costumed as himself, a Harvard firefighter-EMT.
