New London ― A Shaws Cove community room was arguably the safest space in the city on Friday afternoon as dozens of firefighters, police and other public safety officers gathered with their families to celebrate several New London Fire Department milestones.

The event, inside the new public schools’ welcome center, featured the promotions of four veteran firefighters and served as a formal welcome to five new members.

Though the promotions took effect in some cases years ago, Chief Thomas Curcio said the ceremony offered an opportunity to publicly acknowledge the work of excellent firefighters, including Mark Waters who was appointed deputy chief in January.

Waters, who joined the department in 1996, said he was “very, very proud of the work done by the men and women of the department do every day.” Waters, an adjunct instructor with the Connecticut Fire Academy, has already hit the ground running in his new role, Curcio said.

“He’s already setting up new recruit training,” Curcio said. “He’s an excellent firefighter.”

Nicholas Brown, who was promoted to fire inspector in 2002, was sworn in by his father, David Lewis, a retired New York City police officer and current volunteer firefighter with the Smithtown, N.Y., fire department.

Lewis recalled his son listening intently to emergency scanner traffic as a child as reports of tripped burglar alarms went out.

“When he took his first volunteer fire department job in Occum, he used my old fire helmet,” Lewis said. “It was awesome, like I was with him when he got called out.”

Reginald Hansen, who earned the department's highest award, the Commendation of Valor, for his actions at a fatal 2002 fire on Blinman Street, was promoted to battalion chief and Steven Joly, a 2010 Firefighter of the Year, to lieutenant.

Five firefighter recruits –Austin Grous, Nolan Heiden, Scott Skurja, Liam Duncan and Griffin Stover – were sworn-in as full department members by City Clerk Jonathan Ayala.

“You fellas are starting your career in a great department.” Mayor Michael Passero said.

Curcio noted the recruits all had years of volunteer firefighting experience before they applied to become full-time paid members in New London. Once accepted, the recruits took part in a four-week training course that included ride alongs and classroom time.

Duncan, 27, started his fire career with the Old Saybrook Department.

“I always knew I wanted to help people, but just didn't know what direction that would take,” he said. “I’ve been pursuing that dream ever since.”

Fire Marshal Vernon Skau was presented with the department’s Longevity Award for 20 years of service.

Curcio also referenced last month’s First Congregational Church steeple collapse on Union Street, a disaster most of the firefighters attending Friday’s ceremony responded to.

“It was very organized; there was no freelancing,” he said about the response.

j.penney@theday.com