BUFFALO, N.Y. — August 7 — Battalion Chief Ron Bourgeois was promoted to the position of Division Chief and given command of the Buffalo Fire Department’s new Training, Standards and Strategic Initiatives division, as stated in department information released for the announcement.

This new division combines training and professional development, standards and compliance, and strategic initiatives into a single command.

The role was created to oversee these areas and help achieve the department’s ongoing operational and organizational objectives.

The Buffalo Fire Department has had a dedicated Training Bureau that handles the development of firefighter and officer training, conducts in-service programs, researches firefighting techniques, and assists in planning multi-agency drills and exercises.

Current department budget documents highlight training, skills development, and continued professional education as key responsibilities.

Bourgeois was also listed as a Buffalo Fire Department chief and instructor in Erie County firefighter seminar materials, including courses on smoke behavior and the effects of fire on wood-frame construction.

The promotion places Bourgeois in a leadership role centered on supporting firefighter development, maintaining department standards, and working with senior command staff to coordinate long-term initiatives.