From left: Wilkes-Barre City Fire Chief Jay Delaney, Assistant Fire Chief Travis Temarantz, Mayor George C. Brown, and Deputy Fire Chief Alan Klapat.

Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department promotes Temarantz to Assistant Fire Chief

WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre City Mayor George C. Brown and Wilkes-Barre City Fire Chief Jay Delaney on Thursday announced the promotion of Captain Travis Temarantz to assistant fire chief.

Temarantz became a Junior Fire Fighter 22 years ago. He started as a per diem paramedic with the WBFD in 2009, after graduating from Luzerne County Community College’s paramedic program. He was sworn in as a Fire Fighter in 2014 and promoted to Fire Captain in 2021.

Leadership in fire service is a family tradition, as his father is Hanover Township Fire Chief Joe Temarantz.

At Thursday’s swearing in, HTFD Chief Joe Temarantz pinned the Assist Chief badge on his son. Assistant Fire Chief Temarantz began his first shift in his new role on Thursday at 4 p.m.

In his opening remarks, WBFD Chief Delaney acknowledged Mayor Brown and City Council members for their support of the Fire Department, including recent infrastructure investments of more than $2 million for the fire headquarters and south fire station — and the more adequate staffing of south fire station, the purchase of a new $850,000 fire engine with delivery scheduled for November.

“Our infrastructure and our fire department are better than it’s ever been,” said Chief Delaney.

Mayor Brown remarked, “Travis is well-qualified for this position. He’s a dedicated captain and he’s going to be a dedicated assistant chief. I know he is going to do well in the promotion.”

Mayor Brown also acknowledged his continued commitment to providing the WBFD with the training and equipment they need to perform their duties and his promise to try to maintain full staffing of the city’s firehouses.

After being sworn-in, Temarantz stated that he has been around a firehouse as long as he could remember. He thanked his parents for giving him foundational morals and giving him the “opportunity to work the best job in the world.”

He recognized his entire family and his girlfriend, Jill, for their understanding and support in his taking on this new position. He also thanked his current and former co-workers for their support, the lessons they taught him, and the challenges that they gave him.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Temarantz said. “We have a lot of knowledgeable, well-experienced members in this department, and I’m really dedicated to trying to make it the best that we could.”

He then thanked Mayor Brown and City Council for their confidence in his leadership.

Prior to his service with the WBFD, Temarantz served as a Fire Lieutenant and part time firefighter with the Hanover Township Fire Department. During his career with the HTFD, he served in the role of Incident Commander and successfully rescued two trapped occupants in a senior apartment building.

He also served as a full-time career firefighter for the City of Nanticoke before being hired by the City of Wilkes-Barre.

Temarantz’s experience as a paramedic is crucial, as nearly 90% of the WBFD’s call volume is for Emergency Medical Service, making his leadership in EMS a benefit to city residents.

He holds an associate’s degree in business management and is currently pursuing a dual bachelor’s degree in business administration and management.

Temarantz previously served on the U.S. Health and Human Services Trauma Critical Care Team and is a National Pro-Board Fire Officer 2, Fire Instructor 1 and Hazardous Materials.

Temarantz has studied at the National Fire Academy and has been accepted into the nationally recognized Managing Officer Program.