Fortin received 513 votes to retired fire marshall Steven Bresin's 312 votes.
Fortin, who has been with the department for 38 years, took the seat vacated by Douglas DiCeglio when he stepped down in late August.
Fortin will be working with four veteran commissioners to set the tax rate and administer the $5 million district budget after he takes his seat on Jan. 1. The 2009 budget, adopted Oct. 28, remained the same as the previous year -- with the district collecting nearly $5 million in property taxes. A retired New York City firefighter who put in 23 years, Fortin, ran on a platform to keep firefighters safe -- and equipped with the best apparatus -- at a lower cost to taxpayers by seeking alternate funding through grants.
An Oceanside native and graduate of Oceanside High School, Fortin has served the department in several different capacities, including as captain, lieutenant and chief of the department.
On Dec. 15, Thomas Bettes, Jr. of the Salamander Hook, Ladder, & Bucket Co. was sworn in as third assistant chief by a vote of department members. Typically once elected to the third assistant chief position, members cycle forward to second, then first assistant, ultimately taking the position of chief of the department the fourth year.
Timothy J. Biscay stepped up from first assistant chief to chief of the department, Robert C. Sutton, Sr. stepped up from second assistant chief to first assistant chief, and Patrick Madden stepped up from third assistant chief to second assistant chief.
