Groton ― Thomas “Tommy” Clapsadle Jr., district chief of the Naval Submarine Base Fire Department, has always been committed to leaving the fire department and its members in better shape than he found them.

Now, as he is about to retire, the department is welcoming what is believed to be its largest cohort of new firefighters.

At a ceremony Wednesday evening, 14 new firefighters had their badges pinned: Keegan Costello, Michael Vece, Wesley Bell, Halley Malloy, Nicolas Hand, Joe Kosswig, Nicolas Kupis, Dylan Regis, Patrick Richardson, Nate Romanelli, Michael Vuolo, Alex Wynkoop, Brian Roper and Michael Holdridge.

In addition, new Fire Inspector Kevin Johnson; Randy Carroll, who was promoted to fire prevention chief; and Kurt Macdonald, who was promoted to assistant fire chief, also were pinned.

Family members and fire officials, including from other communities, packed the fire station to celebrate the new members and gave Clapsadle a standing ovation.

Captain Kenneth M. Curtin, Jr., commanding officer of the naval submarine base, told the new members that they are joining “a team dedicated to ‘Protecting Those Who Defend America.’”

He said the department does more than solely fight fires ― it also is the all hazards emergency team for the sub base, families and community, and an expert in submarine firefighting, emergency and tactical medical services and severe weather response, among a variety of other disciplines.

Curtin praised Clapsadle for his exceptional leadership, his steadfastness in ensuring all aspects of first response were always addressed, his efforts to build and maintain community and mutual aid relationships, his genuine concern for the safety, well-being and quality of life of firefighters, sailors and families, and his commitment to recognizing those who served before him.

Clapsadle, who is also chief for the Naval Station Newport Fire Department, plans to retire at the end of the month from his 35-year naval fire service.

He said in a phone interview Wednesday that he grew up next to the Goshen Fire Department in Waterford and became the first 15-year-old to become a junior member. When he heard the fire station’s tone, he’d run down the street and get on the fire truck.

Clapsadle obtained his firefighting and Emergency Medical Technician certification and was hired by the Naval Submarine Base Fire Department in 1989. From there, he said, his career took off and he became a driver for the fire department at the age of 23 and was promoted to captain in 1995.

As a new captain, he was called upon to research a new firefighter safety standard and present it to the Groton Fire Officers Association. He and others worked to help build a specialized FAST ― firefighter assist and search team ― to respond in case a firefighter becomes trapped or disoriented.

“I was surrounded by tremendous support from area departments to build this specialized team,” Clapsadle said. They realized the need to continue to build it and train other firefighters, laying the foundation for the FAST response in the region.

After serving as captain, Clapsadle became training chief, which led him to become district fire chief at the age of 38 in 2008.

“My goal was if I took care of the members, the mission would take care of itself, and I had success with doing that,” he said.

In 2012, the fire department responded to help combat the USS Miami fire in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

Clapsadle said the fire department had to develop a quick plan that included protecting the submarine base and its mission, while 12 fire department members were deployed to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Afterwards, he worked with local fire departments to help train them to respond to a submarine in the unlikely event that an incident such as the one at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard happened.

Clapsadle said he and Curtin and the fire officials were involved in efforts to bring the hiring process for the fire department to the local level and worked over the past two and a half years to fix under-staffing at the department.

Clapsadle said the department’s staffing is growing tremendously, with a plan to hire 17 additional members to bring the department to 62 members over the next two years.

After Clapsadle’s retirement, Steve Lougee will serve as acting fire chief.

Clapsadle, a Waterford resident, is married to his wife, Bobbette, a retired dispatcher, and has two children, Michael and Mitchell, who are both dispatchers, and two step-children, Danielle and Dominic, as well as two grandchildren.

k.drelich@theday.com