Richard Spackmann's Biography

Richard Spackmann was born in Albany, New York and raised in Wilton, New York since the age of 8. He is commonly called "Spack", a shorted version of his last name.

Richard graduated from Saratoga Springs High School in 1996 and then attended Adirondack Community College majoring in Mathematics. He earned a Phi Theta Kappa transfer scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1999 where he graduated in 2001 with honors with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science. He enrolled once again at RPI where he graduated in 2003 with a Master's of Computer Science degree focusing on Software Engineering.

After college he worked as a Computer Scientist with the General Electric company at the Global Research Center in Niskayuna. He later transfered as a software consultant for the New York State Department of Transportation working on the Cars Google and the 511 project.

He currently works as a software engineer with Tribune Media Services in Glens Falls, NY.

Learn more about Richard's professional credentials via his resume (.pdf).

Public Service

Richard has had many accomplishments during his tenure as a Fire Commissioner which have directly benefited the residents of the Greenfield Fire District and it's firefighters.

As a Commissioner, Richard has directly championed a variety of initiatives including but not limited to:

1. Focus on Open Government:

   Richard believes strongly in open government and his voting record is very consistent with that belief. To this end, there have been two major developments that Richard spear-headed:
   1. Formed a committee (known as the "Communication Committee") to design and create the first fire district website: greenfieldfd.org
   2. Designed and championed the annual newsletter initiative. The GFD now mails a bi-annual newsletter showcasing the activities of our volunteers, and informing our residents of how we are spending their tax dollars.
   Both of these two initiatives were the first open government initiatives in the Greenfield Fire District (GFD). Since their inception, they have been continuously modified based on community feedback, all in an effort to make the fire district more open and transparent.

2. Technology Focus and Injection:

   Richard believes strongly in optimizing processes - especially business practices, because ultimately, that leads to greater efficiency and cost savings. With this technology education and professional background, Richard has brought many technologies into the GFD to improve the organization:

   1. Internet Technology: it seems almost crazy to believe in this day and age that a modern business can survive without internet service in their offices. But prior to Richard's term, the GFD had no internet service at all.

      Since taking office, Richard designed and supervised the installation of networks at each of the GFD's facilities. With the addition of specialized software, there is now a serious movement to digitize the GFD business processes - with the goal of making them all more efficient.

   2. Security Systems: the security control of the GFD before Richard's tenure, was fairly laxed. There were punch codes to provide access to all the facilities. And while those did provide some level of security, the problem was that once you knew the combination, you could always gain access.

      And this were true whether you were a vendor who had to do work at given firehouse, a member, a guest, or even ex-member.

      With a digital form of security access, members and non-members (employees, vendors, guests, etc.) are provided a unique access card (and/or fob) to gain entry to the GFD facilities.

      Ultimately this provides a safer (we can restrict access to rooms and even restrict the times members can enter the facilities - for example, if you are still a student in high school we do not allow them to be at our facilities after 10pm at night) and more secure environment.

   3. Training Laptops: the fire district has always encouraged and supported our volunteers to take training courses as often as possible. A big component of the GFD training initiative will come in Q4 of 2008 when the recently ordered training laptops are recieved by the GFD.

      These training laptops, used in conjunction with the recently installed overhead projectors, and we now have the beginnings of a solid training curriculum. In the Summer of 2009, Richard supported the installation of the first "in-house" EMS training curriculum - which is hopefully the first of many such initiatives.

   4. There are a variety of miscellaneous technology initatives as well including the Rip and Run software integration project, and the GFD district hydrant mapping initiative.

3. Government Efficiency:

   Richard has infused efficiency and technology into the business acclimate of the GFD.

   1. the majority of GFD business is now conducted via email - which was a vast change in how the fire district operated prior to the technology push.
   2. Richard supported the development of a purchasing policy with a district "purchasing agent" to minimize purchases and streamline procurement while lowering waste and duplication of orders.
   3. the greenfieldfd.org district website has now become the standard to access fire district information for both members and residents.
   4. supported the creation of fire district policies and bi-laws, to standardize operating procedures of the GFD.

4. Gear Purchasing Schedule:

   When Richard took over as the Commissioner in charge of the gear line-item of the budget, Richard focused on fixing the low gear inventory of the fire district. Most of the gear was wearing out from use faster than it was being replaced, their was a timely and expensive process to maintain and improve the features of the gear, and the overall inventory itself was far too small.

   Richard refocused the gear replacement schedule providing quality gear for all the volunteers of the GFD while limiting the cost to taxpayer. Gear is now replaced on a four-year cycle, providing standardized gear for all the volunteers - rather than piece-mailed setups.

More about Richard's goals and accomplishments as a Commissioner can be found in the vision section and FAQ section of this site.

Fire Service

Richard joined the Maple Avenue Fire Department in January of 1996 on his 18th birthday. He later earned a place in the Greenfield Fire District Extrication Team and became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He recently recertified for his third time as an EMT and now has been an EMT for about twelve years. Richard has been an Interior Class A firefighter for almost his entire time with the department. He has earned numerous commendations for his service to the community.

He participates regularly in the department's annual fire prevention programs which range from Dorothy Nolan Elementary School classes, to Barnes and Noble children's reading club and Cub Scout classes.

You can see some more of Richard's public service highlights in the press section of this site.

Joining the Department

Richard joined the department in 1996 as a deal with a Social Security worker named Patrick Delay. The story, as Richard tells it, is a little ironic.

As part of a senior research paper in a required class to graduate high school, Richard had to interview three references on Social Security, the topic of his paper. "I figured what better spot to get information about Social Security than the regional Social Security office," where unbenounced to him, Mr. Patrick Delay worked.

"I just remember calling up the office and asking to interview someone for my school paper. I could tell the secretary that I was talking to was a little confused by the request. I'm sure it wasn't something she was used to hearing," he commented smiling.

She transfered him to "someone who can help," as she put it, which happened to be Pat.

After a brief wait on the phone, Pat answered and Richard proceeded to explain his school situation.

Pat quickly agreed to give Richard as much time as necessary for the interview. In fact, Pat guaranteed Richard an A on the paper. But there was a "small catch," as Pat put it. "Once this interview is done, you have to do me a small favor," Pat explained to Richard.

"Well, what might that be?" asked Richard. "Well, we'll talk about that after the interview," Pat replied. Faced with the opportunity to receive an A on a final term paper, Richard reluctantly agreed; not knowing what that "favor" was that he had to do for Pat after the interview.

"I brought a tape recorder and a notepad and I remember asking Pat everything there was to know about Social Security. The interview must have lasted an hour," recalled Richard. "[Pat] then asked me if we were done and if I had everything that I needed." Richard said yes, and then Pat began to explain a little bit about the Maple Avenue Fire Department.

As it turned out, Pat was a long time firefighter with the Maple Avenue Fire Department and a Commissioner of the Greenfield Fire District. Pat explained that as the "favor," Richard had to stop by the next Tuesday night - the weekly drill night, and fill out an application. "You don't have to join," Pat stated, "just find out what we are all about."

"Honestly," Richard recalled, "I didn't know anything about the fire department let alone if I was going to join. But my mind was very quickly made up once I walked through the door of the old station."

Hung in the first bay of the old station was a very small, and very simplistic poster - in clean view once you entered the bay. The poster was only two colors: yellow and black, but yet presented such a profound message.

The backdrop of the poster was solid black and drawn out of yellow was a silhouette of a house on fire with a mother hanging out a second story bedroom window holding her young child in her arms.

The caption: "What if no one came," was written underneath the drawing.

"Once I read that poster, I began to realize how important the volunteer fire department was, and my mind was made up, I was going to join," explained Richard. "And I've been a firefighter ever since."

Additional Information

You can learn more about Richard's vision for the Greenfield Fire District in his campaign goals page or by contacting him directly.

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