| A little about me - I was born to Evelyn and William Heffernan Jr. Both of my parents were schoolteachers. I'm the oldest of four siblings. I attended West Haven Schools, graduating from West Haven High School in 1981 and the University of New Haven in 1999 with an Associate of Science Degree in Fire and Occupational Safety. I married my wife Anne in 1992, and we have two grown children, Anita and William, and two young grandchildren.
I owned and operated Alpha Carpet from 1990 to 2015 and Johnny's Grille (owner/partner) in West Haven from 2004-2019 (and permittee from 2010-2019). I was a career firefighter in the West Haven Fire Department and one of the first responders at Ground Zero in New York City in September 2001. Retiring after 28 years at the rank of Lieutenant, I now serve as Department Historian, an honor bestowed upon me in January 2023. I also serve as a consulting producer on the TV series "Tacoma FD," which can be found on Netflix.
I'm proud to have been honored as West Haven Elks Firefighter of the Year in 1998 and to receive the CT Secretary of State Public Service Award in 2004. I'm a proud member of Alpha Gamma Chi Fraternity – SCSU since 1981 and was proud to receive the Yale New Haven Health Center for EMS Unit Citation in 2020. Among the many organizations I belong to, I currently serve on the Board of Directors for the West Haven Community House (2010 – present), I serve as president of the Village Improvement Association, as vice president of the West Haven Historical Society, and as treasurer of the Friends of West Haven Library. |
