EASTHAMPTON — Continuing his education has always been an important goal for Easthampton Fire Chief Christopher Norris, and he has achieved the pinnacle of that experience by becoming the only fire chief in Massachusetts to hold a doctoral degree.

“Education has always been a significant focus during my career,” said Norris. “This degree was a professional and personal goal of mine for the past 10 years. The fire service has become extremely complex over the last decade and it’s important that future leaders in our profession understand the importance of continual education.”

Norris’ doctoral degree in public policy and administration with a concentration in emergency management will help him to better serve the needs of Easthampton. His dissertation analyzed how compliance with the National Fire Protection Association standards impacts firefighter injuries and fatalities. Norris studied Massachusetts firefighters from on-call and volunteer departments for his research.

“Public officials today need to understand the importance of making informed decisions based on research, data and analytics that are financially sound and in the best interest of the public,” explained Norris. “The completion of this terminal degree demonstrates understanding and competencies in these areas that I look forward to applying in my position as fire chief in the city of Easthampton.”

Norris has a long history of making education a priority for him as he moved through his professional career. He began with a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State College after his high school graduation. After being hired as a full-time firefighter in Northampton, Norris went back to school at Anna Maria College, where he earned his master’s degree in fire science and administration in 2003. In 2011, he earned another master’s degree in public administration from his alma mater, now known as Westfield State University. In 2016, Norris began the doctoral program at Walden University and completed his requirements in November 2021. The doctoral program required both online coursework and in-person classroom work, as well as his dissertation.

“My dissertation was defended in front of a committee composed of other educators and went through all of the rigors of the internal review board criteria,” said Norris.

Norris has held the position of Easthampton fire chief since July 2020. Before that, he spent 20 years working for the Northampton Fire Department. He began as a firefighter in 2000 and worked his way up the ranks to senior deputy fire chief. Prior to his time in Northampton, Norris started as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Westhampton in 1994 and volunteered there for 25 years, serving as the department’s chief for the last 13 years.