Scranton Fire Chief Named Next Centre Region Fire Director

A veteran emergency services professional will be the next Centre Region fire director.

John Judge, a firefighter in Scranton for nearly 25 years and the city’s fire chief for the last six, will officially begin his new role serving the State College area on Nov. 23, Centre Region COG Executive Director Ben Estell said. He will succeed Shawn Kauffman, who was appointed to the position in 2023.

Judge was offered the position overseeing the Alpha Fire Company and Centre Region Fire Marshal’s Office on Sept. 18 and accepted on Sept. 21, Estell said.

He will overlap with Kauffman, who is retiring at the end of December, and will also shadow Kauffman for fire department operations during the Penn State football White Out weekend Oct. 10.

“Throughout a very competitive selection process, John demonstrated a collaborative leadership style, strong administrative experience, strategic thinking, and commitment to the combination fire service model,” Estell wrote in an email. “We are very excited to welcome him to the COG team.”

Judge joined the Scranton Fire Department in 2002 and was appointed chief and emergency management coordinator in 2020. He previously worked as a police officer and in the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division.

As Scranton’s fire chief, he has overseen 141 personnel operating out of seven stations in the city of 76,000 residents. According to a city news release announcing his pending departure, Judge “championed a proactive approach to fire prevention by advancing the department’s free smoke alarm program and expanding its community outreach, strengthening relationships between firefighters and the residents they serve.”

He is also credited with modernizing the fire department’s fleet and operations, including development of a drone program and implementation of a GPS-based alerting system that warns motorists of approaching fire apparatus and nearby emergency scenes.

As emergency management director, he “advanced the use of mass public notification tools and helped develop flood mitigation strategies to improve Scranton’s preparedness for severe weather and other emergencies,” according to the release.

“Firefighters often choose this profession for a lifetime, and Chief John Judge has provided a remarkable life of service to the Scranton Fire Department and our community,” Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti said in a statement. “His dedication to public safety and service has been unmatched, helping to keep Scranton residents safe in immeasurable ways. The fundamental values of the Scranton Fire Department include ‘Service’ and ‘Integrity,’ both of which Chief Judge has embodied throughout his career.”

Judge’s breadth of experience was a key factor in his selection as director of the Centre Region Fire Protection Program, Estell said.

“His experience spans fire, rescue, and hazardous materials operations, as well as the administrative responsibilities critical to this role, including budget development and management, capital planning, personnel leadership, and organizational planning,” Estell wrote.

Judge also serves as an instructor for the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy and FEMA Urban Search and Rescue, and as a task force leader with FEMA Pennsylvania Task Force 1.

The Centre Region COG worked with ROBB Consulting, which specializes in public safety services, to assist with the recruitment and selection process. The position attracted “a strong group of talented applicants,” Estell said, and screening interviews narrowed the field to four candidates, who each took part in a longer interview session with COG staff, consultants and Alpha Fire Company volunteers.

Three candidates moved forward to an “assessment center,” a full day of exercises, presentations and interviews with representatives from a variety of groups in the Centre Region.

“Many COG employees, Alpha volunteers, and other partners provided feedback during the initial survey process, participated in interviews and Assessment Center activities, or helped us behind the scenes,” Estell said.

Judge was selected to oversee a fire program that includes career personnel and volunteers serving 93,000 people in a 104-square-mile area that includes State College, Ferguson, Patton and College townships and southern Benner Township. Alpha Fire Company, which also provides automatic mutual aid in Harris and Halfmoon townships as well, responded to about 1,700 incidents last year.

The Fire Protection Program also includes six fire marshals and works with the Centre Region Code Agency to provide public education, deliver fire prevention programs and identify and implement long-term community risk reduction programs.