HAVERHILL — With more than 30 years in the department, Haverhill Fire Chief Robert O’Brien nears his final watch, making way for a familiar face to rise through the ranks and take over as chief.
On Monday, Mayor Melinda Barrett announced Deputy Fire Chief and EMS Coordinator Christopher Cesati, a 30-year veteran of the force, would be the incoming fire chief for the Haverhill Fire Department in January.
He will succeed O’Brien, who will be working his last shift with the department on Jan. 16. The chief is only a few months away from his 65th birthday, which is the mandatory retirement age for firefighters in Massachusetts.
The city selected its new chief following months-long internal searches and multiple rounds of interviews.
In 1995, Cesati, a North Andover resident, joined the Haverhill Fire Department as a firefighter. Over the years, he has earned an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science at North Shore Community College, became a registered nurse through Middlesex Community College, earned a Bachelor’s of Science and Nursing at Southern New Hampshire University, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Fire & Emergency Services at Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass., earlier this year.
In addition to his firefighter duties, he was promoted to lieutenant in 2019, and was responsible for two other firefighters and assisted the captain with day-to-day operations and management of the department.
Three years later, Cesati was promoted to captain, and then to deputy chief in May 2025. He oversees a department of 125 firefighters serving 75,000 residents and answering 25,000 calls per year. Throughout his tenure, he has overseen fire suppression, supervised staff, ensured the department adheres to local, state, and federal regulations, and worked with fire marshals.
For the past decade, he has been the EMS coordinator for Haverhill and a charge nurse at Merrimack Health in Haverhill — managing medical emergencies through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I seek to leverage my extensive leadership skills, strategic-planning abilities, and commitment to community safety to excel as Fire Chief.” Cesati wrote of his objectives in his resume. “I am eager to lead and inspire a team of firefighters to ensure the highest standards of safety and service to the residents of Merrimack Valley.”
Cesati was one of six internal candidates considered for the position. The search began in August when the job was posted, and an interview board — consisting of HR Director Denise McClanahan and four area fire chiefs, including O’Brien — reviewed applications and selected the six for first-round interviews.
Barrett and Richard MacDonald, Haverhill’s director of Health and Inspectional Services, served as observers during the interviews. Three candidates advanced to a second round, conducted by Barrett, McClanahan and MacDonald at the end of October.
“This choice wasn’t easy as we had so many impressive candidates. Deputy Chief Cesati rose as the top candidate for the position due to his interviews, education, medical background as a nurse, and proven track record of excellence. I have faith that he’ll provide the department with strong leadership and guide it forward into its next chapter,” Barrett said.
“I am excited to be chosen to lead as fire chief, and I look forward to working with Mayor Barrett and my fellow firefighters on the department’s continued success,” Cesati said.
Cesati, who was named the Haverhill Exchange Club’s Firefighter of the Year in 2021, is less than two months away from heading the department. The promotion comes a month after two other major shifts in leadership for the Haverhill Police Department, as Acting Chief Wayne Tracy and Acting Deputy Chief Meaghan Pare were welcomed into their new roles.