ATHOL — The retirement of Chief John Duguay in early September has not affected the operation of Athol Fire Department.
The town opted not to hire an interim fire chief while a five-member search committee conducts interviews to fill the position of fire chief/emergency management director, who will be responsible for managing all administrative and operational aspects of the full-time, full-service fire and ambulance department.
Instead, Jeffrey Parker, a 23-year veteran of the department, who has been deputy fire chief for the last 3½ years, is leading the day-to-day operations of the 16-member department.
Roughly 24 applications have been received and reviewed by the Fire Chief Search Committee.
Members and their positions are Selectboard member Rebecca Bialecki; Citizen-at-large Barbara Savoy; Finance & Warrant Advisory Committee member Ken Duffy; department head designee Cathy Savoy; and Berlin Fire Chief Paul Zbikowski.
Parker confirmed his application was among those received by the town. The list has been pared to five, and interviews of the finalists have commenced. After all have been interviewed, the committee will give its recommendations to the town manager, who will make the decision.