Chief Bradley announced that he will officially be retiring as Chief of the Plymouth Fire Department in April. (Photo courtesy Town of Plymouth) 
Plymouth Fire Chief Edward Bradley speaks at the old North Plymouth Station 7. As part of the ceremony, a chrome fire bell from a 1960’s fire engine was rung in four rounds of 3-3-1 in recognition of Box 331 to signify the closing of the station. (Photo courtesy Plymouth Fire Department)
PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Fire Department announces that Chief G. Edward Bradley will be retiring in April following a nearly 50-year career in fire service.
Chief Bradley made the announcement at the Plymouth Select Board meeting on Tuesday, March 22. He plans to officially retire effective April 12.
“I’ve worked with Chief Bradley since 2000 when I was first elected to Select Board and he was a firefighter serving on the Union’s E-Board,” said Select Board Chairman Richard J. Quintal, Jr. “I’ve watched him rise up in the ranks since and he’s definitely leaving this department better than what it was! I wish him the best for a healthy and happy retirement.”
Chief Bradley has had an incredible 47-year career with the Plymouth Fire Department, having joined the call force at Station 5 Manomet on Oct. 13, 1974. He went on to be appointed as a full-time firefighter on Jan. 2, 1977, before being promoted to lieutenant in November 2000.
Chief Bradley continued to rise within the ranks of the department going on to be promoted to Captain in March 2003 and Battalion Chief in November 2006. He was then appointed as Fire Chief in December 2007.
During his tenure as Chief of the Department, Chief Bradley worked to further professionalize the department by ensuring its continued growth. While chief, he hired a total of 92 firefighters and promoted 34 lieutenants, 22 captains, 12 battalion chiefs and five deputy chiefs.
“I’ve been honored to work with a terrific group of firefighters here in Plymouth throughout my entire career,” Chief Bradley said. “These men and women are some of the most professional and dedicated firefighters I know and they truly made my career with the department a joy. I will deeply miss their comradery and presence upon my retirement. I’d also like to thank all my colleagues in the town, local area chiefs, and most importantly my family who have all supported me throughout the years.”
Another priority of Chief Bradley’s when he first took the helm of the department was to replace an aging and unreliable fleet of fire trucks that were often in the repair shop. Over the last 14 years, Chief Bradley has replaced seven pumping engines, one heavy rescue, one ladder, one tanker, one all-terrain pumping engine and a 33-feet marine firefighting platform (fireboat). The fleet replacement policy he created has provided a clear direction for the future and has increased the public’s safety as a result.
In July of 2020, Chief Bradley, along with local officials, opened the department’s newest three-bay North Plymouth Fire Station #7, which replaced the old North Plymouth Station that was built in the early 1900s. The new, state-of-the-art Hedge Road facility focuses on safety and preventative care of the firefighter, is equally accommodating for firefighters of all genders and is fully compliant with current ADA requirements.
To assist with further professionalizing the department and ensuring firefighter safety, Chief Bradley secured over $7 million in grant funding during his time with the department. With the use of grant funds, Chief Bradley established the town’s Emergency Operations Center in 2010, purchased source capture exhaust systems for each station to reduce cancer-causing chemicals within the air, equipped all 30 of the department’s apparatus with noise-canceling headphones to reduce loss of hearing in firefighters, and more.
“Chief Bradley’s decades-long leadership to the Plymouth Fire Department and focus on excellence rank him as one of the best fire chiefs in the Commonwealth,” Town Manager Derek Brindisi said. “His selfless service and commitment to this great community are in inspiration to us all and worthy of admiration. He certainly will be missed.”
Since 2020, Chief Bradley has also assisted in leading the Town of Plymouth through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the department hosted numerous vaccine clinics, including a clinic that vaccinated a majority of first responders within the Plymouth community.
“Throughout his career, Chief Bradley has always put the safety of the Town of Plymouth, its residents and guests paramount to all,” Deputy Chief Neil Foley said. “He has continuously strived to improve upon our department and has served as a leader to us all. We will all greatly miss him upon his retirement, but his lasting impact on our department and us all will be felt for years to come.”
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