New York State Association of Fire Chiefs 2025-2026 Officers Installed

• By: Staff
• On: 06/23/2025 10:46:22
• In: NYSAFC News

Chief (Ret.) Richard L. Lyman of the City of White Plains Fire Department (Westchester County) was installed as president of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs during the NYSAFC 119th Annual Conference & FIRE 2025 Expo Installation Ceremony, which was held on June 7, 2025, at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown in Syracuse, NY. He will serve a one-year term leading the statewide not-for-profit organization that represents more than 10,000 career and volunteer fire and emergency medical services personnel of all ranks from across New York state.
 
Lyman is the fifth White Plains fire chief to be installed as NYSAFC president, the most of any agency to serve in this capacity since the association was founded in 1904.
 
Lyman is a 44-year veteran of the White Plains Fire Bureau who worked his way through the ranks to become chief in 2003 and retired in July 2021. As the seventh career chief in the history of the city of White Plains, he was responsible for overseeing the fire bureau's operations under the direction and control of the commissioner of public safety. Lyman began his fire service career in 1976. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1986 and was assigned to the training division and was promoted to deputy chief in charge of fire prevention, training, emergency planning, and plan review in 1997. Lyman was a New York state emergency medical technician from 1981-1992, an instructor at the Westchester County Career Chiefs Fire Academy from 1986-1989, co-director of the Westchester County Career Chiefs Fire Academy in 1989, and an adjunct professor at the Mercy College fire science program in 1990. A member of NYSAFC since 2003, Lyman served on the Paid Officers Committee before his election to the board of directors in 2018. He is also a member of the Career Fire Chiefs of New York State, Career Fire Chiefs of Westchester County, Westchester County Association of Fire Chiefs, and Westchester County Fire Advisory Board. Lyman graduated from the State University of New York College at Purchase with a bachelor of arts degree in environmental science.
 
Also, during the ceremony, Chief William K. Owen III of the Stittville Fire Department was sworn in as 1st vice president and Chief Timothy E. Boel of East Greenbush Fire District #3 was sworn in as 2nd vice president. Both will serve one-year terms.
 
Chief Kenneth M. Almy of the Scotia Fire Department (re-election), Chief Wayne C. Friedman of the Cortland Fire Department (re-election), and Chief Stefano Napolitano of the City of Rochester Fire Department were installed as career directors and will serve three-year terms.
 
Deputy Fire Coordinator Anthony D. Faso of the Fredonia Fire Department, Chief Kevin O. Kalk of the Barneveld Fire Department (re-election), Chief Charles Kostyk of the Cadyville Fire Department, and Chief Richard M. Nemier of the Nedrow Fire Department were sworn in as volunteer directors and will serve three-year terms. Kostyk and Nemier are both new members of the board of directors.
 
Congratulations to the 2025-2026 officers of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs. Learn more about the NYSAFC board of directors here.