On June 1st, 2023, Richard W. Valentine was sworn in as the Village of Larchmont Fire Chief. Chief Valentine is a 5^th generation firefighter and began his fire service training in 2005. Since then he has risen through the ranks and amassed more than 2000 hours of specialized courses and experience.

Chief Valentine has become the first individual in the department’s history to obtain National Certification as a Fire Officer Three. In addition, he is a New York State Fire Instructor, Code Enforcement Officer, and Emergency Medical Technician. He prides himself on being well rounded in many areas of the fire service keeping up to date on improvements, advancements, and techniques.

The Larchmont Fire Department is an all-hazard response unit assisting residents and business owners who experience fires, medical emergencies, and a multitude of hazardous conditions. As such, Chief Valentine has focused his recent efforts into becoming versed in technical rescue such as swift & flood rescue techniques, rope rescue systems and marine operations. In addition, he has been educated in community disaster recovery applications, community risk reduction practices and the National Incident Management System. 

Chief Valentine has a Bachelor of Science degree from SUNY Oneonta and a Masters of Public Administration from Marist College. He has taught numerous fire service courses at the regional and local levels keeping safety and proficiency at the forefront of his lessons. Due to the extreme physical nature of this profession, Chief Valentine devotes a great deal of time to physical fitness and among other accomplishments is a two-time Ironman Triathlon Finisher.

Chief Valentine is consistently looking for ways to improve the safety, efficiency and abilities of the Larchmont Fire Department. Please explore the rest of our organizations site to learn more.