CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Chesapeake will welcome Simone "Sam" Gulisano as its new Fire Chief in the new year as the current chief, Edmund Elliott, will be retiring following nearly 50 years with the department.
Elliott, who began his firefighting career at the Deep Creek Station in 1974, is described as "the true definition of a 'servant-leader,'" according to a release from the fire department.
"He has been a driving force in terms of diversifying the department and implementing safety, health, and well-being programs, as well as the introduction of new Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) technology and training. Elliott helped begin Chesapeake’s Hazardous Materials unit, as well as a number of specialty units following the events of September 11, 2001."
Over the course of his career, Elliott advanced through the ranks and was eventually promoted to Deputy Fire Chief in 1996 and served in that position until late 2009. He was officially appointed as Fire Chief and Coordinator of Emergency Management in 2010.
Incoming Fire Chief Gulisano has had a similar career journey, starting with the Chesapeake Fire Department in 1995 and stepping into the role of Deputy Fire Chief in the spring of 2019. For a period between 2020 and 2021, while Elliott was away on assignment, Gulisano served as Chesapeake's Acting Fire Chief.
Among the professional training programs Gulisano has completed are FEMA, the National Fire Academy, and the Virginia Department of Fire Programs.
