Command Staff
Chief Mark E. Klose
Before joining the Rochester Fire Department, Chief Klose spent the entirety of his 28-year career with the Bedford Fire Department. He began his career in Bedford as a call firefighter and worked his way up through the ranks of the department, rising to a full-time firefighter, captain and—most recently—the deputy chief for operations and training and the deputy emergency management director.
As Deputy Chief in Bedford, Chief Klose was responsible for the department’s day-to-day operations, department personnel and training on a variety of essential areas, including fire suppression, hazardous materials management and emergency medical aid. During his time with the Bedford Fire Department, Chief Klose earned numerous distinctions, including being recognized with the 2013 New Hampshire Fire Service Award of Excellence, the 2015 New Hampshire Leather Helmet Society’s Outstanding Service Award, as well as an Army Achievement Medal and Army Commendation Medal, among others.
As Deputy Chief in Bedford, Chief Klose was responsible for the department’s day-to-day operations, department personnel and training on a variety of essential areas, including fire suppression, hazardous materials management and emergency medical aid. During his time with the Bedford Fire Department, Chief Klose earned numerous distinctions, including being recognized with the 2013 New Hampshire Fire Service Award of Excellence, the 2015 New Hampshire Leather Helmet Society’s Outstanding Service Award, as well as an Army Achievement Medal and Army Commendation Medal, among others.
Assistant Chief Tim Wilder
Assistant Chief Wilder started his fire service career for the city of Somersworth in 2001. From there he moved on to the Concord Fire Department and Durham Fire Department before his move to the city of Rochester. As the Assistant Chief he oversees the three Deputy Chiefs and their respective divisions of Operations, Training and Prevention.
Deputy Chief Dennis Dube – Operations
Deputy Chief Darryl Jeffers – Training
Deputy Chief Adam Hughes – Prevention
Deputy Chief Hughes started in the fire service in 1993 with the town of Milton. In 2004 he joined the Rochester Call Force, serving on Engine Companies 5, 3 and Ladder 1. Lastly assuming the position of Division Captain overseeing the administrative operations of the Call Force. In 2019 he retired from the New Hampshire Air National Guard with 23 years of active duty service.
Chaplain Jeffrey Hunt
Chaplain Hunt was appointed to serve the RFD in April of 2018. He comes to the Rochester Chaplaincy having served in that capacity in both Maine and Massachusetts where he was a member of the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains and the Maine Fire Chaplains Association. Chaplain Hunt has been associated with the Fire service since 1996 and is also a qualified Firefighter. He was ordained in the ministry of the United Methodist Church in 1996 and has been Senior Pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Rochester since 2012. Chaplain Hunt earned his Bachelor’s degree from Assumption College in 1991 and his Master of Divinity degree from Boston University in 1996. In addition he has advance training in mediation skills, conflict resolution as well as Critical Stress Management.