In 2001 Past Watch Hill Fire Lieutenant Brian Holdredge joined with a number of members of
the Hose & Engine Company to create the Watch Hill Fire Department Distinguished Service
Honor Roll. While we have not added any names in the last few years, the members of the Fire
Company decided this year to form a committee to continue this tradition. The company named
committee members, Deputy Chief Jason Simmons, Assistant Chief Christopher Koretski and
Firefighter Patrick Majeika to select the 2022 inductees.

At the Department’s Swearing In & Celebration of Service on August 30, the Department was
pleased to publicly name the newest additions to the Watch Hill Fire Department Distinguished
Service Honor Roll. Past Chief Scott J. Harold and Past Lieutenant Lance W. Murphy.

Chief Scott J. Harold

In 1994 Scott J. Harold joined the Watch Hill Fire Department following service in the
Misquamicut Fire Department and Westerly Ambulance Corps. Scott quickly became involved in
the Fire Department’s operations and was quickly named as an Assistant Chief in 1997. He
became the Chief of Department in 2004 following the retirement of Chief Vinny Gaccione.
During Scott’s tenure as Fire Chief; the Department added per diem staffing to the fire station,
purchased a new state of the art ladder truck, renovated & put on the addition to the fire station,
established our marine response division, added special operations equipment, obtained
several grants, improved our fire alarm system, and increased the volunteer ranks of the
Department. Scott did all of this while including every member of the command staff, every
member of the department and those in the community; making every move a total team effort!
Each decision with increasing the service level and safety to the people of this district and our
firefighters in mind.

In 2010, to spend more time with his wife Deb and three children, Shelby, Rees, and Emma,
Scott decided to step down as Fire Chief. However, he reamined on as an Assistant Chief for 3
more Chiefs of Department until stepping down this July. In addition, he also served as Acting
Chief of Administration following Chief Peacock’s retirement at the end of last year. He has
recruited his Son Rees to join the ranks of our Department, where he continues his Dad’s
legacy where they train together and respond to alarms side by side often!
Because of Scott’s dedication to our Department, his tireless efforts to improve the quality of our
equipment and safety of our members, and his undying passion to continue to put others before
himself, the Watch Hill Fire Department is proud to name Chief Scott J. Harold as an inductee
into the Watch Hill Fire Department Dedicated Service Honor Roll.

Lieutenant Lance W. Murphy

Lance Walter Murphy has been a dedicated community servant for decades. Lance has served
as a firefighter and an educator. Serving both as a Career and Volunteer firefighter in both
Coventry and Westerly. Lance was the Chief of the Dunn’s Corners Fire Department from 1996-
2000. At the encouragement of then Chief, Carl Greene, Lance joined the Watch Hill Fire
Department and quickly became a Lieutenant. For years, Lance was the Lieutenant assigned to
Ladder 104. He was always willing to teach new firefighters the tricks of the trade and was most
at home teaching driver and pumping skills or about his much beloved “water curtain” tactic.
Lieutenant Murphy was instrumental in the design of our new Ladder in 2006 and has continued
to help as a sounding board for changes and improvements to the Department. In 2015, Lance
decided to step down from active volunteer service in Watch Hill. However, that has not kept
him out of the fire station. Lance continues to this day to be an integral part of what makes our
Department special. Often stopping in and taking the opportunity often to teach a quick lesson.
Because of Lance’s passion for the fire service, his tireless commitment to the mission of our
department, his dedication to our firefighters, and his legacy of service, along with a few classic
stories that will go on forever in our history…the Watch Hill Fire Department is proud to name
Past Dunn’s Corners Fire Chief & Past Watch Hill Lieutenant Lance W. Murphy as an inductee
into the Watch Hill Fire Department Dedicated Service Honor Roll.

The men were joined by their families at the event and both received a standing ovation for their
dedicated service to our Department. Their names will forever hang on the wall in the Station’s
meeting room with the other inductees.

Congratulations Scott & Lance and thank you for your years of dedicated service to our
Department.