Massachusetts Fire Marshal Retires; Successor to Be Named
Businesses under state fire-code oversight should watch the commission's selection timeline ahead of Davine's January 22, 2027 retirement.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Jon Davine plans to retire on January 22, 2027. The Massachusetts Fire Service Commission will set the process and timeline for selecting his successor, a change that affects the state's fire-safety oversight of businesses and the public-safety agencies that work with them.
Why it matters
The fire marshal position oversees nearly 1,000 full-time and contract employees across three regional campuses and four operational divisions, so leadership transitions shape how inspections, code compliance, and hazardous-materials rules are enforced. Davine's departure, announced about 77 days before his retirement date, gives the commission a defined window to choose a successor.
Davine was sworn in as the Commonwealth's 19th state fire marshal on August 16, 2023, and his retirement takes effect January 22, 2027. The position oversees nearly 1,000 full-time and contract employees across three regional campuses and four operational divisions, and the eight-member Fire Service Commission will guide the replacement process.
The players
Jon Davine
Massachusetts State Fire Marshal since August 2023, a former Northampton fire chief and 25-year firefighter and Hazmat technician who is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
Massachusetts Fire Service Commission
An eight-member state body appointed by the governor that sets the process for selecting the state fire marshal.
Massachusetts Department of Fire Services
The state agency that oversees fire code compliance, emergency response, and hazardous-materials preparedness across Massachusetts.
The details
The State Fire Marshal leads the Department of Fire Services, which coordinates emergency response, code compliance, and hazardous-materials preparedness statewide. Recent department work includes deploying investigators and code officers to the 2025 Gabriel House fire response in Fall River, preparing chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive staffing for the 2026 World Cup games in Foxborough, and consolidating two Hazmat districts to serve western Massachusetts. The Fire Service Commission, an eight-member body appointed by the governor with representatives from the fire service, the insurance industry, and the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security, will set the selection process.
Timeline
August 16, 2023: Davine sworn in as the 19th state fire marshal.
2025: Department deployed personnel to the Gabriel House fire response in Fall River.
2026: CBRNE preparation staffed for World Cup games in Foxborough.
In the coming days: Fire Service Commission meets to set the selection timeline.
January 22, 2027: Davine's official retirement date.
Market Landscape
Massachusetts was the first state to appoint a state fire marshal, in 1894, and the office has since become a standing part of the state's fire-code and hazardous-materials system. A leadership change at this level reshapes how inspection priorities and compliance expectations are set for the businesses the agency regulates.
Businesses that work with the Department of Fire Services should expect continuity in inspection and compliance routines during the transition, but should watch for any changes in enforcement priorities once a new fire marshal takes over. Companies handling hazardous materials or operating large facilities should track the commission's selection timeline as it develops.
The takeaway
The fire marshal transition is a scheduled, multi-month process rather than an immediate change, giving operators time to plan. Businesses in hazardous-materials handling or large-occupancy settings should note the January 22, 2027 date and monitor the commission's announcements on selection criteria.
What happens next
The Massachusetts Fire Service Commission will meet in the coming days to set the process and timeline for selecting the next state fire marshal, and Davine retires January 22, 2027.
Further reading
For context on who leads state regulatory agencies, see the People section of our business coverage.
