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The union cited staffing and operational issues and a lack of communication from the chief among the reasons for its vote.

The Chelmsford firefighters union unanimously voted to declare no confidence in the town fire department’s chief.

Chelmsford Firefighters IAFF Local 1839 approved the measure at a union meeting, writing in a June 8 statement posted to Facebook that Fire Chief Gary Ryan poses “measurable harm to both this department and the residents it serves.”

Union president Rob Albon cited Ryan’s “failure to meaningfully address known staffing and operational issues,” ignorance of “basic fire ground operational protocols,” and “almost nonexistent communication” in critical moments as reasons for the vote. These concerns were repeatedly cited in an internal survey, according to the statement.

“Importantly, respondents consistently expressed confidence in their colleagues and the department’s ability to perform,” Albon said. “The concern is not with the institution. It is with what many believe is the direction and support coming from the Chief’s office.”

The most recent incident contributing to these sentiments occurred in April, when 28-year-old Nick Spinale was seriously injured after falling 40 feet onto solid concrete during a training activity at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. The union said that Ryan failed to communicate with them about a plan to cover Spinale in the aftermath of the incident.

Gov. Maura Healey later filed legislation to ensure that Spinale received full pay and benefits while recovering from his injuries. However, the union made it clear that it felt this was only one instance of a wider communication problem.

The union further referenced the aftermath of an October 2025 house fire which killed two men. Albon said in the statement that Ryan’s focus was “directed toward administrative matters and report writing rather than addressing the human impact on the firefighters who responded.”

Beyond these specific incidents, the union also described wider systematic concerns, such as a “lack of meaningful engagement” from Ryan, a stagnant leadership structure, and a staffing model that “creates preventable delays, limits operational effectiveness, and increases risk to both residents and firefighters.”

Albon said that the staffing issues in particular have been brought to Ryan’s attention since 2016. In the past decade, department members have “repeatedly raised concerns regarding firefighter safety, span of control, and operational effectiveness” which have not been adequately addressed, according to the statement.

Additionally, Ryan allegedly mismanaged his operating budget, and data from previous years “shows a consistent pattern of underspending,” Albon said. Several times over, personnel funds went unspent, adding up to $2.5 million in unspent funds from FY2015 to FY2025.

Ryan responded in a letter to acting Town Manager John Sousa Jr., which the union posted on Facebook in what it called an effort to show “transparency.” He said that he has actively supported department fundraising efforts for Spinale and testified in favor of Healey’s legislation, according to The Boston Globe.

“While there may be disagreement regarding how the matter should have been handled, the assertion that I failed to support Firefighter Spinale or advocate on his behalf is inconsistent with the documented record,” Ryan said in the letter.

However, the union followed up again on Sunday and insisted that the issues run far beyond Spinale’s injuries or ongoing contract negotiations, which Ryan also said may have contributed to the no-confidence vote, according to the Globe.

“Ultimately, this vote was not about one incident, one disagreement, or one bargaining session,” the union said. “It was about years of growing frustration and a belief among our membership that the relationship between department leadership and the firefighters has deteriorated to a point that can no longer be ignored.”