Jack Parow

Background

About Jack Parow

Jack Parow served as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Association of Fire Chiefs, 2010/2011. From 1994 through October 2010 he served as the fire chief in Chelmsford, Mass,and is a 35-year veteran of the fire service and an IAFC member since 1991. Chief Parow’s fire service career started in a combination department in North Reading, Mass, in 1975. In 1991, at the rank of captain, he left North Reading to become the fire chief in East Bridgewater, Mass, also a combination department. In 1994, Chief Parow was offered the position of fire chief in Chelmsford, a career department operating out of five stations and located on the Route 495 belt outside of Boston. Additionally, since 1990, he has led the busiest state hazardous-material team providing coverage for over 90 communities in the northeastern section of the state. Active throughout his entire career, Chief Parow has served as president of the New England Division of the IAFC and president of the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Massachusetts and served on the IAFC Election Committee, the Membership Task Force and the IAFC International Code Council regional committee. He is also a member of the IAFC’s VCOS, Fire and Life Safety Section, EMS Section, and Safety, Health and Survival Section, as well as the NFPA. In addition, he has been very active at both the state and federal level in moving vital fire service legislation forward, including funding of the Fire Bill. Chief Parow holds a master’s degree in business mangement, a bachelor’s degree in fire and safety engineering, an associate’s degree in fire science, and he is an EFOP graduate. He also teaches at Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass, in both the graduate and undergraduate Fire Science and Management Program. He still maintains both his state and national certifications as an emergency medical technician. Specialties: Jack is very serious when it comes to health and wellness. He is a certified physical trainer and has competed in triathlons and hundreds of road races, including completing five Boston Marathons. He coaches hockey at North Reading High School and is a certified USA hockey referee, refereeing over 200 games a year.