Westford Patch has learned that Westford's Fire Department chief, Richard Rochon, unexpectedly announced his retirement on Tuesday morning.
Captain Joe Targ will head the department until Rochon's official retirement date of July 23, upon which point he will become Acting Chief Targ.
Rochon has served in the Westford Fire Department for 37 years, serving as fire prevention officer and firefighter before being named as chief in 1995.
Town Manager Jodi Ross issued a statement thanking Rochon for his years of service as well as his efforts spearheading initiatives such as implementing 24-hour staffing at the town's three fire stations and the establishment of an Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic program.
"He should be applauded for leading the department through the challenges associated with providing fire protection and ambulance service during a period of significant residential and commercial growth for our community," said Ross. "Lives are saved because of our delivery of paramedic-level service and our significantly decreased response time since we transitioned from the private ALS service in 2010."
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
