Dean, Ciampa Praised for Going 'Extra Mile' to Earn Promotions

Although they don't have as many years on the job as some of their peers, Capt. Daniel Dean and Lt. Ronald Ciampa have excelled and gone the extra mile to earn their promotions, Fire Chief Steve Pasdon said.

That's because the two men have gone above and beyond their regular duties to pitch in wherever needed and took advantage of numerous free training sessions available from the state Department of Fire Services, he said. On top of that, both men did have the highest scores on their Civil Service promotional exams.

"I challenge you both at the end of the day that you leave the Fire Department better than you found it," Pasdon told Dean and Ciampa, adding that both men work out of his former division (2) and he considers them both friends.

Dean and Ciampa were both officially sworn into duty by City Clerk Tim Spanos Tuesday afternoon. The City Hall ceremony was well attended by family and colleagues.

Dean has spent seven years in the department and was first appointed to Lieutenant's rank in 2010 while Ciampa, a Peabody native, is coming up on five years in January. Dean is currently assigned to Division 2, Engine 1; Ciampa is on Division 2, Ladder 1.

Mayor Ted Bettencourt said both men represent a highly regarded firefighting force, adding that one reason Money Magazine recently placed Peabody in its top 100 cities to live was because of its "outstanding" public safety officers.

"I truly love this job and I'm proud to be a Peabody firefighter," said Dean, making some brief remarks to thank his colleagues, family and the city for all their support.

"It's been a tough year for all of us...and I hope all of us never forget Dec. 23 and Jim Rice," said Dean.

Ciampa likewise expressed his thanks, saying the support has been there through everything.

"It's a great honor to stand here today and I look forward to serving the city," he said.

Ciampa graduated from Peabody Veterans Memorial High School in 1999, spent a year in college and then began his career as a plumber, which he still works at now when not fighting fires.

He said he's always wanted to be a firefighter, from the time he got the bug as a kid and then gained a deeper appreciation for the job as he got older.

Dean also had long dreamed of becoming a firefighter -- his uncle had spent 25 years on the job back home -- and first spent seven years in the city's Tree Department before he making it onto the Fire Department.

Dean actually hails from out west in Arizona, but moved to the Tanner City in 1999. So how did he end up in Peabody? His wife, Anita is to thank for that. She grew up here and is the daughter of the late Dr. Arthur "Doc" Peretzian, a former teacher at PVMHS.

Hurricane Sandy initially put a damper on Bettencourt's original plans to promote the two firefighters on Oct. 29, so the ceremony was postponed to Nov. 20.