BRATTLEBORO-Fire Chief Jay Symonds will spend the next year on active duty with the Army National Guard, which has been a significant part of his life for nearly three decades.
Symonds will leave his town obligation for military service the first week of October and return when his assignment has been fulfilled.
“Public service has been a cornerstone of my life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving both my community and my country,” the chief tells The Commons. “I look forward to returning to Brattleboro after this period of military service.”
To ensure continuity during Symonds’s leave, Peter Lynch will serve as interim fire chief and emergency management director.
The onetime assistant fire chief will work with the department leadership team to oversee fire and EMS operations, emergency preparedness, incident management, and departmental functions.
Lynch joined the department here as a firefighter in 1984. He advanced through the ranks to assistant fire chief, a position he held for nine years.
In 2016, he transitioned from the department to become chief of fire service training at the Vermont Fire Academy, returning to the town in 2022 as assistant director of public works.
A year in review
Symonds, a father of four, started the job here April 1, 2025. “It has been an honor to serve as chief of the Brattleboro Fire Department,” he tells The Commons. “During my time in this role, we have made significant progress in positioning the department to meet both current and future community needs.”
One of the most impactful changes, Symonds says, has been the addition of seven firefighter positions and the transition to a four-platoon staffing model.
“This investment has improved work-life balance for our firefighters, reduced fatigue, and provided more time for personal wellness, training, and readiness,” says Symonds. “Ultimately, these changes help ensure that our personnel are better prepared to serve the community during emergencies.”
Symonds says the department has also worked “to increase transparency in our operations and provide the public with greater insight into how their tax dollars are being invested.”
“Maintaining public trust is essential, and we have made a conscious effort to communicate openly about our services, priorities, and department initiatives,” he says.
At the same time, the department is undertaking a broader restructuring of the fire department “to align our organization with the services we provide today and the demands we anticipate in the future,” he says.
“This is a long-term project that will continue to evolve, and I am confident it will remain a priority while I am away,” says Symonds, adding he is proud of the leadership team and membership of the fire department.
“We have a talented and dedicated group of professionals who are committed to continuous improvement,” he says. “I have every confidence that the leadership team will continue to advance the department, build on the progress we have made, and ensure we are prepared to meet the needs of the people of Brattleboro for years to come.”
He adds that while stepping away for a year is bittersweet, “I do so knowing the department is in capable hands. I look forward to seeing its continued growth and success during that time.”
A year of service in a different realm
Symonds’s career in the fire service, which began in the mid-1990s, runs parallel with his service as an engineer in the New York Army National Guard.
Following his deployment to Afghanistan in 2010-11, Symonds was awarded a Bronze Star for excellence in leadership while in a combat zone. He has firsthand experience in disaster relief, including responding to major floods throughout the past 20 years in New York state.
“I have spent 29 years serving with the New York Army National Guard, supporting a wide range of state and federal missions,” he says. “Those experiences have taken me from responding to severe flooding and other domestic emergencies to supporting overseas operations.”
While he cannot speak about the specific missions he will be performing during this assignment, Symonds did share that he will serve as the command sergeant major — the highest ranking non-commissioned officer — of an engineer battalion comprised of several companies from across the nation.
In that role, he will serve as the senior enlisted advisor to the battalion commander and be responsible for “helping ensure the health, welfare, readiness, morale, and success” of soldiers assigned to the battalion.
“Throughout my military career, I have been privileged to take part in missions that directly support the people of our great nation and, in some cases, support partner nations and allied forces abroad,” Symonds says. “Continuing that tradition of service is both an honor and a responsibility that I take very seriously.”
He says his assignment “provides an opportunity to work alongside dedicated soldiers and leaders while continuing to grow professionally and personally.”
“There are many similarities between military and fire service leadership, including teamwork, readiness, adaptability, and a commitment to serving others,” says Symonds. “I expect to gain valuable experiences and perspectives that will ultimately benefit the Brattleboro Fire Department when I return.”
He said he is also grateful for “the support I have received from the members of the Fire Department, the town manager, Selectboard, department heads, and the people of Brattleboro as I prepare for this assignment.”
“Their trust in the department’s leadership team and commitment to public service have helped ensure that both responsibilities, military service and service to the Brattleboro community, can continue successfully,” he says.
This News item by Virginia Ray was written for The Commons.