EMEAA: Mental Health for PIOs with Chief Reardon

With over 26 years in the fire service, including 23 years with the Duxbury Fire Department, Chief Rob Reardon currently serves as Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management for the Town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. A recognized leader in public safety, Chief Reardon is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Executive Leaders Program, the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program, and the Massachusetts Chief Fire Officer Program, delivered in partnership with the Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management. He is also an accredited Fire Chief in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Chief Reardon holds dual bachelor's degrees: one in Mass Communications from Emerson College and another in Fire Science from Anna Maria College. His executive education also includes completion of Harvard University’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI) and Columbia University’s Leading with Impact program. Before entering the fire service, Chief Reardon spent over a decade as an award- winning photojournalist in Boston, with his work appearing on the covers of national magazines, newspapers, books, and international broadcasts. He covered high-profile stories ranging from presidential visits and professional sports to celebrity appearances, major trials, and breaking national news events.

An accomplished speaker and published author, Chief Reardon is frequently invited to present at leading conferences and institutions across the country. He has spoken at Harvard University, the Naval Postgraduate School, Firehouse World, Firehouse Expo, and the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) one of the largest fire service conferences in the world, drawing over 35,000 attendees in 2023. He also speaks at numerous private sector events on topics such as leadership, crisis communication, social media strategy, public information, and media relations.

In 2013, Chief Reardon secured grant funding to create the Regional Old Colony Communications Center (ROCCC) an $8 million, state-of-the-art 911 dispatch facility serving six communities. Under his leadership, ROCCC became the first dispatch center outside of Boston to directly receive wireless 911 calls, a milestone that continues to save lives through improved emergency response. In recognition of his expertise in emergency communications, Chief Reardon was appointed by the Governor to the Massachusetts State 911 Commission, a position he proudly holds today.