Nichols Fire Chief, J. Brian McGovern joined the Fire Service in 1987 where he served five years with the Wolcott Volunteer Fire Department, Company Number 3 earning the rank of Lieutenant. He also acquired Fire Fighter I, Fire Fighter II and Apparatus Operator Certifications.

In August of 1992 he joined the Nichols Fire Department and in 1995 was promoted to Lieutenant with the Department under Chief John Butz. During that time, he was responsible for movable equipment and apparatus readiness at Station 2, as well as being a member of the purchasing committee to acquire Quint 303 (2000 Seagrave).

In the year 2000 Lieutenant McGovern was promoted to Captain in the NFD under Chief John Butz where he became the House Captain at Station 2. During his tenure as Captain, he served as a member of the apparatus purchasing committee for Engine 301 (2004 Seagrave) and a member of the Station 2 renovation and building committee while finding the time to acquire a certification as an Incident Safety Officer and in 2011, acquired a certification as an Ice Rescue Technician.

In February of 2011 Captain McGovern was promoted to Assistant Chief under Chief John Plofkin, Jr. and became a Certified Fire Instructor 1 that same year. In October of 2013, he was promoted to Deputy Chief under Chief John Plofkin, Jr. and in January 2014 was sworn in as the Chief of the Department by Commissioner Rick Perachio to replace retiring Chief John Plofkin, Jr. In that time, he was a member of the apparatus purchasing committee that acquired Rescue 300 (2015 Spartan/Gowans-Knight Custom).

McGovern retired as the Chief of the Department in January 2017 and was succeeded by Chief Andrew Kingsbury but retained his position as the Medical & Safety Officer and was active in the apparatus purchasing committee acquiring Truck 304 (2018 Pierce Ascendant).

In January of 2023, McGovern was sworn in for a second time as the Chief of the Department by Commissioner Patrick Freyer to replace retiring Chief Ray Franko.