Jim Cerruti was sworn in Friday as Fair Haven’s fire chief, a duty he’s been filling since November. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi)

By DUSTIN RACIOPPI

Although he really took over the job in November, Jim Cerruti is officially Fair Haven’s new fire chief.

Cerruti was sworn in Friday at the borough’s annual reorganization meeting, with his family and many of his firefighting buddies packed into the Town Hall meeting room to give him a raucous ovation.

The former deputy chief was scheduled to succeed Shaun Foley this year anyway, but Foley resigned in November, a day after he hit a utility pole with his chief’s vehicle, allegedly while drunk, and later jumped off the Oceanic Bridge, setting off a massive rescue effort.

Foley’s resignation led to Cerruti stepping in as chief earlier than expected. But on Friday, Cerruti was able to relish the pageantry of stepping into the volunteer department’s top spot.

“Today is a great day. I’ve looked forward to this for a long time,” he said.

Cerruti, who owns Fair Haven Yacht Works, started his firefighting career back in 1978, when he was in the Merchant Marine. He’s lived in Fair Haven for 12 years and has been a line officer with the borough’s volunteer department the last four.

Foley, who faces charges for DUI, wasn’t at the ceremony Friday. Officials made no mention of him or the circumstances that led him to resign his fire department post as well as his job as a Rumson special police officer.