HOBOKEN—Fire Department Battalion Chief Anton Peskens will serve as provisional fire chief until a permanent replacement for outgoing Chief Richard Blohm is identified, Mayor Dawn Zimmer announced Monday. Peskens and the department’s six other battalion chiefs have filled the fire chief’s role on a rotating basis since Blohm retired on June 1.
Peskens is the Hoboken Fire Department’s most senior battalion chief, having joined the force in 1986 and served as battalion chief since 2011.
Zimmer interviewed all the battalion chiefs before selecting Peskens. “We are fortunate to have great talent and many qualified leaders in our Fire Department,” she said in a statement.
“I thank Chief Peskens for agreeing to take on this major responsibility for the next several months as we begin the process of identifying a permanent Chief to lead the department in the years ahead,” added Zimmer.
The process entails administering a Civil Service Fire Chief’s test to Fire Department officers and conducting a series of interviews with the highest scoring candidates. The mayor will then select a chief and the City Council will approve his contract.
Two weeks ago, Blohm said the civil service exam would probably take place in November.
A swearing in ceremony for Peskens will take place on Tuesday, June 23 at 3 p.m. in City Council Chambers. All members of the public are invited to attend.
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