Richard Fontana

Richard Fontana serves as Adjunct Faculty in Fire Science and Professional Studies at the University of New Haven's Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences. With over 30 years of experience as a paramedic and firefighter, including service at Ground Zero after 9/11, he brings extensive practical knowledge to his academic role.

Fontana earned his Fire Science Administration Degree and a Master's Degree in National Security and Public Safety from the University of New Haven. His research interests focus on emergency management systems, disaster response protocols, and homeland security frameworks. He teaches EMGT 6624 (Social Dimensions of Disaster), drawing from his real-world experience managing crises including Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Maria, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently serving as West Haven's Emergency Management Director (a part-time position he assumed in February 2024 after 16 years with New Haven), Fontana also holds multiple state-level appointments including Operations Section Chief for Connecticut's Regional Incident Management Team, ESF-5 Chair for Region 2, and Governor-appointed Fire Commissioner for the CT Commission on Fire Prevention and Control.

His professional background includes being appointed to the FEMA Region 1 Regional Advisory Committee and serving on the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency's steering committees. Fontana is particularly known for advocating the separation of fire chief and emergency management director roles, arguing that combining these positions creates conflicts during major incidents.