Avon Fire Department Welcomes Three Firefighters and Promotes Julie Burns to Captain During Pinning Ceremony

AVON — Fire Chief David Charest is pleased to share that the Avon Fire Department welcomed three new firefighters to the department and promoted firefighter Julie Burns to the rank of Captain during a pinning ceremony at Town Hall last week.

On Thursday, Sept. 5, Chief Charest recognized Kyle Gray and Tatum Matthews as Career Firefighter-EMTs and Drew Mottau as a new Call Firefighter.

“On behalf of the Avon Fire Department, I would like to formally welcome our new firefighters. You’re joining a team that demonstrates its commitment to protecting our community daily, and we’re proud to have you,” Chief Charest said. “I’d also like to congratulate Capt. Julie Burns on her well-earned promotion and know she will excel in her new role. Lastly, I express my gratitude to the Select Board and Town Administrator Jonathan Beder for their continual support of the Avon Fire Department.”

Capt. Julie Burns

Burns joined the Avon Fire Department as a call firefighter in 2016 and was promoted to a career firefighter in 2018. Burns is also a certified fire instructor, paramedic and is the current Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) and Senior SAFE grant coordinator. Her parents and sons, Aidan and Luke, joined her at the ceremony, and she was pinned by retired Avon Fire Capt. Kevin Foster, whom she said has left a lasting impression on her career.

Call Firefighter Drew Mottau

Mottau, son of former Avon Fire Capt. and current Massport firefighter Rob Mottau, spent his childhood being around the Avon fire station. He shared that it has been his lifelong career dream to join the department that his father dedicated years with. His mother, Kate Mottau, was present at the ceremony and he was pinned by his father.

Career Firefighter-EMT Kyle Gray

A Marine Reserve, Gray is following in his father’s footsteps as a Marine and career firefighter in Holbrook, and said that he has looked up to his father all of his life. Gray decided to join the Avon Fire Department after witnessing the professionalism of the Avon firefighters while he worked at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton. He shared that becoming a career firefighter has been “the last piece of the puzzle” to help him fulfill his childhood career dreams. He was joined by his parents and grandparents at the ceremony and extended his gratitude toward his sister in college who could not be present. He was pinned by his father, Matthew Gray.

Career Firefighter-EMT Tatum Matthews

Matthews started his career working as an EMT, with the long-term goal of becoming a firefighter. He is currently halfway through paramedic school and is “loving the experience.” His parents Stacy and David Matthews, who are nurses and paraprofessionals respectively, instilled the importance of being a public servant throughout Matthew’s childhood. He was pinned by his parents, and his sister Campbell and girlfriend Marykate were also present at the ceremony.

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