East Schodack, NY - Chief Lee Shurtleff of the Groton Fire Department in Tompkins County was installed as president of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC) on June 13, 2020. He will serve a one-year term leading the statewide not-for-profit organization, which represents more than 10,000 career and volunteer fire chiefs, officers, and emergency services personnel.

Due to the cancellation of the 114th Annual Conference & FIRE 2020 Expo, the installation took place via video conference with Past President John Sroka swearing in the 2020-2021 slate of officers, including 1st Vice President Robert Kloepfer Jr. (Floral Park Fire Department); 2nd Vice President James Comstock (Henrietta Fire District); Directors (Volunteer) Scott Ewing (Plattsburgh District #3 Fire Department), William Owen III (Stittville Fire Department), and Michael Volpe (Busti Fire Department); Director (Career) Stefano Napolitano (Batavia Fire Department); and Director (EMS) George June (Catskill Ambulance Service).

Lee Shurtleff has been a member of the Citizens Hook & Ladder Co. #3 of the Groton Fire Department since 1985, serving as department chief from 1991-1998. He served as the director of the Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response from 2002-2019, where he directed programs for fire, EMS, emergency management, 911 and public safety communications. Previously, he was a full-time deputy coordinator and served for nine years as commissioner of elections for Tompkins County. Shurtleff was a member of the New York State Emergency Services Council, New York State Emergency Services Loan Fund Board, and New York State 911 Board throughout their existence.

He graduated from the State University of New York College at Cortland with a bachelor of arts degree in political science. Shurtleff is also a graduate of Simmons Institute of Funeral Service in Syracuse. A licensed funeral director, he is actively involved with his family’s funeral and properties businesses. He has served as an officer or director for many civic, political, educational, and health related non-profit boards.

A life member of NYSAFC who joined the association in 1987, Shurtleff served for many years as a regional representative and with the EMS Committee. He was chairman of the Government Affairs Committee for two years and had been vice chair for both the State and Federal Sub-Committees before joining the board of directors in 2013.

Learn more about the NYSAFC board of directors at www.nysfirechiefs.com/board.