New London — The city fire department on Friday promoted a longtime firefighter to the rank of lieutenant and swore in three new hires.

City officials, friends, family and firefighters — active and retired — packed the fire department headquarters for a ceremony hosted by Chief Thomas Curcio and Mayor Michael Passero.

Curcio promoted firefighter Russell Barberi to the rank of lieutenant. Barberi formerly served as a firefighter in Montville and East Lyme who also spent two years with the Sub Base Fire Department before joining the New London Fire Department in 1996. Along with being a state-certified emergency medical technician, he has numerous certifications and is an instructor at the Eastern Connecticut Fire School and Connecticut Fire Academy.

New to the department are Louis Racicot, Nicholas Friday and Timothy Joseph.

Racicot, a New London native, has been involved in emergency services since 1994 as a firefighter, EMT, paramedic and dispatcher, according to a release from the mayor’s office. He and his wife, Heather, have two children, Madilyn and Benjamin, and live in East Lyme.

Joseph is a Colchester native and career firefighter who has also worked as a 911 dispatcher for both the Colchester and Cromwell emergency dispatch centers.

Friday was born and raised in Jewett City, the release said. He has worked as a firefighter for the Electric Boat Fire Department as well as in South Carolina for Horry County Fire Rescue. He has a 6-year-old son, Kamden, and a girlfriend, Katelyn.

With the new hires, Curcio said the department is, for the time being, at full strength with 68 firefighters.