Following a 32-year career focused on keeping his hometown safe, Methuen Fire Chief Tim Sheehy will officially retire on his birthday – July 11.
Though he admits he’ll miss the camaraderie of his tight-knit department and the relationships he’s built both in City Hall and across Methuen, Sheehy, 56, says the time is right as he’s “leaving the department in really good shape right now.”

Tim Sheehy has been with the Methuen Fire Department 32 years, serving as chief for the last 10.

Sheehy became chief in 2015. He’s worked hard to build MFD’s staff and fleet across the four stations. There are 111 members – all academy trained and certified EMTs. The department’s once-aging fleet now boasts 3 on-duty fully staffed ambulances, four fully staffed engines and a fully staffed ladder truck, plus an incoming Pierce engine truck.
“This is the third one we’ve bought in 4 or 5 years,” he said. “You try to keep everything in service – we’re getting more and more ambulance calls. Depending too much on mutual aid from other cities isn’t good.”
What IS good? That would be the bond among the fire staff and their willingness to go above and beyond for Methuen residents – something that brings Sheehy much pride.
“(The Fire Department) is still very close and tight-knit. They show up to everything – all the stuff they do for community, whether it’s the veterans’ cookout, the senior dinner, the fishing derby, Firefighter Sunday, 9/11 Memorial – they’re all volunteering for that,” he said. “We’ll have 20 or 30 (firefighters) show up at these things.”
He’s also pleased with the department’s on-duty work with residents.
“(I get) very few complaints, but I do get calls and e-mails from the community about them doing a great job,” Sheehy said. “I want (my staff) to treat (residents) as a family member. If somebody only has one interaction with us, I want it to be a good experience.”
Sheehy is also grateful for the support he’s received through the years from city councilors, whose votes ultimately decide the direction of the department.
“I’ve worked with really good city councils over the past 10 years – we disagree sometimes, but I can’t tell you one councilor who didn’t have the Fire Department’s back.”
Sheehy’s father James was a 30-year Lawrence firefighter. While our chief remembers the fire house from his childhood, the Methuen High grad (Class of 1986) really didn’t aspire to work in that capacity until after his service with the Marines. Sheehy took the test, was hired by the Methuen Fire Department and climbed the ranks.
The biggest change he’s seen in his time as chief has been improvements in fire prevention.
“Fire prevention’s come a long way. We still go on all types of calls,” he said. “Fires are down a little, but we do (Emergency Management) also. That’s got do with fire prevention, not only in Methuen but statewide and nationwide.”

Fire Chief Tim Sheehy is often found pitching in with community events. Here, he helps a Methuen girl try on a new coat during “Operation Warm,” a collaboration between the Boston Bruins Foundation and the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts. ML file photo

Upon reflection, his biggest challenge came when he was first named chief.
“We had a huge turnover, a lot of retirements due to that station that opened on Howe Street in ‘84. Everybody at the 30-year mark was leaving while I was taking over,” he said. “It was good, but challenging. It’s a generational thing, but we’ve got a really good young department. And everybody’s pretty close.”
Sheehy says his proudest moment was watching his twin sons, Kyle and Liam, become Methuen firefighters/EMTs.
“I didn’t push them,” he says. “They really wanted to do it.”
Of course, it’s not easy seeing – and overseeing – your kids work in a field where danger is lurking.
“It’s difficult when it’s your own kid – but I worry about everybody when there’s a fire,” Sheehy said.
For the moment, Sheehy plans to improve his golf game and do more traveling with his wife Kathy. He’ll miss the job, but not the pressure or the non-stop phone calls.
“I’m proud to lead this department. They make me look good!” Sheehy smiled. “It’s just the next chapter of my life.”

FIRE CHIEF SEARCH
Methuen’s next fire chief will come from in-house.
According to the job description posted on Methuen.gov May 20, qualified applicants must have 15 years of service to MFD, with 5 of those years as captain or deputy chief or a combination thereof, plus an associate’s degree in fire science.
“It’s best served from within. Everybody knows the department has plenty of people who can do the job I did,” Sheehy said. “I don’t know who’s applied, but I’m sure they’re all great candidates.”
There will be an interview process; the mayor gets the final say on who is hired. Applications will be accepted through June 2.
The city’s recently announced hiring and overtime freeze, which runs from May 30-Dec. 31, has an exemption for the police and fire departments.

SHEEHY’S IMPACT
*Deputy Chief Dan Donahue: “When we talk about Tim retiring, I’m not really sure where to start. He has done so much for our department, but more than that, he does so much for the city that he doesn’t want people to know about. When he took over as chief in 2015, our department hadn’t increased staffing in 30 years. Methuen had grown significantly in that time and we were struggling, as a department, to keep up with the call volume. Our budget had been slashed and we were actually shutting down stations to stay within the budget. Tim showed the city that by increasing our staffing, we could run a third ambulance, and the increased revenue would cover much of the cost of the new positions. Also, he found a federal program that would pay for new fire department vehicles. Through this program, we would be reimbursed some money for every ambulance call that we respond to. Over the years this money has been used to replace every front line fire truck in our city.

“On the personal side, Chief Sheehy has managed to keep everyone on both the city side, and the union side happy during his 10 years as chief. That is no easy feat. But he is always looking three steps ahead. With every decision, he always asks the same questions. First, How will this affect the city and its residents? Then, how will this affect the department? Lastly, how will this affect the individual firefighter? Tim loves this city and this department. He is more than just “the Chief” to all of our firefighters, he is a friend. He has never forgotten where he came from and he really cares about every single person on this department. He will be greatly missed by all of us. His replacement has huge shoes to fill. I just hope that Tim has a long and healthy retirement, because he has earned it.”

MORE REACTION:
*Mayor DJ Beauregard: “Congratulations to Fire Chief Tim Sheehy on his upcoming retirement. Tim is as solid and reliable as they come. He’s one in a million. I’m so grateful for everything he’s done for Methuen, and I wish him nothing but the best in this next chapter.”
*Police Chief Scott McNamara: “Tim Sheehy’s 30-plus years of service as Methuen’s fire chief have been nothing short of remarkable. His dedication to our community’s safety and his leadership in the fire department have left an enduring legacy. As a newcomer to the city three years ago, I was incredibly fortunate to have Tim’s guidance and support — he’s been a true partner and friend, always ready to lend his wisdom and experience.”
*Public Safety Communications Officer John Molori: “Nobody has cared about the City of Methuen more than Chief Sheehy. He has the terrific ability to communicate and get along with everyone in the city, from the Mayor to the City Council to department heads to city employees. He has always been there when anyone has needed him. Quite frankly, he is one of the best people ever to work in the city, and I’m not sure what we will do without him.”