Westford Fire Chief graduates from fire officer management training program

February 13, 2026
- By Alex Svenson

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WESTFORD — The Westford Fire Department announced that Chief Mike Denehy, along with 42 other fire chiefs from across Massachusetts, graduated from the state’s chief fire officer management training program on Tuesday.

The four-month program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston.

It represents a significant commitment to professional development and executive-level leadership in firefighting.

Through the training, the fire chiefs gained knowledge in strategic planning, fiscal management, leadership, and organizational development.

The fire department said all these factors directly benefit fire departments across the state and the communities they serve.

Alex Svenson

Alex Svenson joined WestfordCAT as a multimedia journalist in July 2025. He is responsible for researching, writing and producing news stories for WestfordCAT's website and newspaper, as well as creating video content for WestfordCAT's news show and social media platforms, expanding coverage of town meetings, community events, local businesses and the stories that make Westford unique. Alex began his professional journalism career as a part-time reporter for WestfordCAT in 2022. He has since worked for NBC 10 Boston, Boston.com and WCVB NewsCenter 5 Boston, before rejoining WestfordCAT in 2025. Alex also has experience working in local government at the Boston City Hall and Massachusetts State House. Originally from Arlington Massachusetts, Alex graduated from Suffolk University in 2022, where he wrote for The Suffolk Journal and was a student reporter for NECN's 'Suffolk in the City'. When he’s not in the newsroom, Alex enjoys traveling, watching sports, playing soccer, running, hiking, fishing, playing guitar, listening to music and going to the movies.