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Newington fire marshal resigns; assistant John Hoffman named acting fire marshal

Board of Fire Commissioners · June 11, 2026
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Summary

The Newington Board of Fire Commissioners accepted Fire Marshal DJ Zordan’s resignation on June 11 and appointed Assistant Fire Marshal John Hoffman as acting fire marshal effective tomorrow at noon; the board praised Zordan’s tenure and noted inspection compliance gains.

The Newington Board of Fire Commissioners on June 11 accepted the resignation of Fire Marshal DJ Zordan and voted to appoint Assistant Fire Marshal John Hoffman as acting fire marshal effective the following day at noon.

The board read a letter thanking Zordan for five years of service and noting improvements to the department’s inspection and investigation work. The letter said Glastonbury is “gaining an exceptional fire marshal,” and commissioners joined in thanking Zordan for his service to Newington.

John Hoffman, who the board appointed to fill the role on an interim basis, told the commission he had received strong support from both the commission and the department. “I have received nothing but support from both the commission and the fire department,” Hoffman said, adding he was “very pleased with the relationships that we’ve built.”

The commission moved to accept Zordan’s resignation and to appoint Hoffman; both motions were seconded and approved by voice vote. The board announced Hoffman’s appointment will take effect tomorrow at noon to ensure weekend coverage.

During the meeting commissioners noted inspection metrics discussed earlier in the agenda: the fire marshal’s office reported inspection compliance figures during its monthly report (the transcript records an 82% overall compliance figure and 91% residential compliance). The commission also highlighted other operational gains tied to Zordan’s tenure, including expanded investigative capability and staffing increases.

Next steps: the commission will support Hoffman in the acting role while the town proceeds with any permanent hiring processes; the transcript did not specify a timeline for selecting a permanent fire marshal.