Summit's Fire Department has a new leader — and an entirely new command team.
At Tuesday's Common Council meeting, Mayor Elizabeth Fagan swore in four firefighters whose promotions fill every leadership vacancy created by Chief Eric Evers' retirement after 38 years.
The department's new lineup:
- Brian Harnois — Fire chief
- Matthew Lemons — Battalion chief
- James Hintze — Lieutenant
- Christopher Jackson — Probationary firefighter
Harnois joined the department as a career firefighter in 2007 after volunteering and working as a part-time dispatcher. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2015 and battalion chief in 2024, earning two Chief's Awards for lifesaving efforts along the way. He's also volunteered with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for 18 years.
"I am deeply honored and humbled to accept the role of Fire Chief for the City of Summit," Harnois said.
Lemons steps into the battalion chief role after 11 years with Summit and more than 16 years in emergency services. He also serves as chief of the Chatham Township Volunteer Fire Department and teaches at the Union County Fire Academy.
Hintze's promotion continues a career that began as a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter in Berkeley Heights. He joined Summit's career division in 2022 and holds certifications in hazardous materials and swift water rescue.
Jackson becomes the department's newest career firefighter. A 2025 graduate of New Jersey City University, he previously served as a junior firefighter in Point Pleasant Borough and as a Class One Special Police Officer in Toms River.
Deputy Chief Paul Imbimbo remains in his current role as the department begins its next chapter under Harnois' leadership.
