Marsan, Crawford Named as New Deputy Chief, Lieutenant at Fire Department Pinning Ceremony
Contributed photoWestport Fire Department
Fire Chief Michael Kronick and First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker are pleased to announce the promotions of Nicholas Marsan to the rank of Deputy Chief of Department and Theodore Crawford to the rank of Lieutenant. They, along with Fire Chief Kronick, were sworn in at Town Hall in a small ceremony at 2:00pm today. The promotions fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Robert Yost on January 1, 2022.
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker stated, “I extend congratulations and best wishes to Nick Marsan and Ted Crawford on their well-deserved promotions. The hard work, dedication and achievements displayed by these men are a credit to their profession. I have the utmost confidence that, along with Chief Mike Kronick, the Fire Department and the citizens of Westport are in extremely capable hands with this strong leadership team.”
“I am very proud of Nick and the contributions that he has made to our department and look forward to his continued leadership as we plan and prepare for the future. His management style, innovation, and communication skills are well regarded at all levels of our department, and I know he will continue to positively impact our fire department and our community in his new leadership role” said Chief Kronick.
Nicholas Marsan joined the Westport Fire Department as a career firefighter in 2007. Upon graduation from the Connecticut Fire Academy, he was assigned to Platoon 3 where he served as a firefighter for nine years. In 2016, he was promoted to Fire Inspector and was assigned to the Fire Marshal's Office for 12 months before being promoted to Lieutenant. Nick served 5 years as an Engine Company Lieutenant, most of which was spent at Station 4 in Saugatuck.
Nick is a veteran of the US Army and the CT Army National Guard. In 2010 he was deployed overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Nick was the recipient of the Army Commendation Medal for Valor for actions during operations in Afghanistan and here at home has been the recipient of two Westport Rotary Public Protection & Safety Awards, and two-unit citations.
Nick is an EMT, a graduate of the Connecticut Fire Academy Class #41, a nationally certified Fire Service Instructor III and Fire Officer III. He is a state certified Fire Marshal and, prior to his appointment to Deputy Chief, served the communities of Norwalk and Darien as a Fire Inspector. Nick was president of the Westport Uniformed Firefighters Association, Local 1081. He is also a State Fire Instructor for the New York Office of Fire Prevention and Control. Nick is a graduate of Fairfield Prep and attended graduate school at Western Connecticut State University, earning a Master’s Degree in History. He also completing his Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Emergency Management at Sacred Heart University.
Deputy Chief Marsan stated, "I am truly honored to be entrusted with the responsibilities and duties of Deputy Chief of the Westport Fire Department. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve the Westport community in this role and am eager to get to work doing so!"
Theodore Crawford joined the Westport Fire Department as a career firefighter in 2011. Upon graduation from the Connecticut Fire Academy, he was assigned to Platoon 2 where he served as a firefighter for ten years. Since March 2021, he has been assigned to the position of Acting Lieutenant on Platoon 4. He is an EMT and graduate of the Connecticut Fire Academy, Class #47, as well as President of the Westport Uniformed Firefighters Charitable Foundation.
Ted is also rescue diver on the Westport Police/ Fire Dive Team and Hazardous Materials Technician on the Fairfield County Hazmat Team. He is the recipient of a Westport Rotary Public Protection & Safety Award, Firefighter Dominic Zeoli Award and two, Unit Citations.
Ted is also a graduate of Clarkson University, earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and holds a Professional Engineering License in the State of Connecticut.
Chief Kronick spoke highly of Lieutenant Crawford stating, “I believe Ted will make an outstanding officer of the department and will be a great asset to our community.”
A formal Pinning Ceremony is being planned this spring (March/April) when we can properly gather and celebrate the department.
Please join us in congratulating Deputy Chief Marsan and Lieutenant Crawford.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Increasing clouds, with a high near 43. Light and variable wind.
Tonight
A 20 percent chance of snow after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. North wind 3 to 7 mph.
Tomorrow
A slight chance of rain and snow before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. North wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tomorrow Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 5. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
David James Harrison, 92, Died; Korean War Veteran, Former Westporter
David James Harrison, age 92, of Morrisville, North Carolina passed away on Monday, January 3, 2022.
He was born on March 22, 1929 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to the late Paul Harrison and Evelyn Montgomery Harrison. Dave was a 1947 graduate of Hartford City High School (Indiana) where he met his future wife, Patricia Raylene Zeek. He was an active athlete while in high school playing on varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams. After high school, he was drafted as a professional baseball player by the Chicago Cubs and played for several of their farm teams. He played as a lefty pitcher for minor league teams located in Elizabethton Tenn., Centralia Illinois, Dothan Alabama, and Paris Illinois. He later attended Indiana University and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. On July 13, 1952, he married his high school sweetheart, Patty (Zeek) Harrison. Dave served during the Korean War in the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps. He was stationed at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland. After the war, he worked as a sports writer for the Muncie Indiana newspaper where he was able to combine his love of sports with his journalism degree.
Dave changed his career path by taking a position with ITT Corp. in Philadelphia as a personnel labor relations manager. He was promoted multiple times during his time with ITT and relocated to Detroit, Michigan and Westport, Connecticut. He later worked for Inland Container Corp in Indianapolis Indiana where he served as Executive Vice President of Human Resources. In 1993, he retired from Inland Container after working there for 19 years.
Dave was an avid golfer and participated in many amateur tournaments throughout the US. Dave and Pat traveled to numerous locations with many friends who shared their love of travel, history, and golf. In 1994, Dave and Pat retired to Savannah Georgia at Skidaway Island where he enjoyed playing golf and continuing travels with friends. They moved to Cary, NC in 1999 in order to be closer to their grandchildren.
Dave was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather providing endless love and support to his family members. His support and care were especially evident when Pat had a heart transplant in 1993 which required a high level of dedication during her recovery. She survived an additional 16 years allowing them to enjoy their retirement and 57 years of marriage. Also, he provided much support to his grandsons who have special needs and developed a special bond with them.
He was predeceased by his infant son James David Harrison, his wife, Pat, and his sister, Bonnie Meyer.
Survivors include his son Thomas S. Harrison and wife Terri of Anderson, IN, daughter Kimberly H. Feller and husband John of Cary, NC, grandsons Nicholas and James Feller. The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 8th from 2-4pm and Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511.
Memorial contributions in David's memory can be made to the Autism Society of North Carolina.