HOPKINTON — Town Manager Norman Khumalo, the Hopkinton Select Board and the Hopkinton Fire Department are pleased to announce that Deputy Chief William Miller has been selected to be the town’s new fire chief following the upcoming retirement of Chief Stephen Slaman.
Deputy Chief Miller was appointed as Fire Chief at the Select Board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 3. Pending successful contract negotiations, he is expected to take over as fire chief following Chief Slaman’s retirement at the end of August.
Deputy Chief Miller has 35 years of experience in the fire service. He joined the Hopkinton Fire Department in 2000 as a firefighter. He has since held several positions, including EMS coordinator, shift lieutenant and training officer. He has served as deputy fire chief for the past five years.
While with the department, some of his responsibilities have included developing and executing fire department operations for the Boston Marathon, managing grant writing, ensuring proper maintenance of the department’s equipment, coordinating new hire onboarding and more.
“We are pleased to have found an excellent internal candidate in Deputy Chief Miller who has two decades of experience serving with the firefighters he will soon lead,” Select Board Chair Irfan Nasrullah said. “Chief Slaman also voiced his support for this appointment at the Select Board meeting, which spoke volumes about Deputy Chief Miller’s impact on the department, especially over his past five years as deputy chief, and the Select Board is very confident in his ability to lead the Hopkinton Fire Department.”
Since 1998, Deputy Chief Miller has also served with the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA) as an instructor and in several other roles where he has trained new firefighters, created and conducted training for fire department supervisors, evaluated education programs and more.
He previously served with the Southbridge Fire Department from 1994-2000 and the Oxford Fire Department from 1986-1994.
Deputy Chief Miller holds an associate’s degree in fire technology from Quinsigamond Community College and a bachelor’s degree in fire science from Anna Maria College. He is currently working toward a master’s degree in health and emergency management, also from Anna Maria College. He holds many fire and emergency medical certifications and has completed the Chief Fire Officer Management Program at the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute.
“Deputy Chief Miller has served the Hopkinton community for many years and has significant operational, administrative and leadership experience that will serve him well in his new position as the head of the department,” Town Manager Khumalo said. “I am very pleased with his appointment as our next fire chief and extend my congratulations to him on this promotion.”
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