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Article from the
Peterborough
Transcript
introducing Chief Joseph
Lenox III
Dara Vernier
PETERBOROUGH-Joseph
Lenox III, a
32-year veteran of the Concord, Mass.,
Fire
Department, is
Peterborough's new
fire chief and
emergency management director. Selectmen announced the appointment at
their meeting Tuesday night. "We feel we've found the very best," said
Chair of Selectmen Liz Thomas.
Lenox, 51,
retired in 2003 as chief of the Concord, Mass.,
Fire
Department, a position he had held for five years. He also served as
the director of the Concord Emergency Management Agency for five
years. Lenox
said fighting fires is in his blood. He is a fourth-generation
firefighter; his grandfather and great-grandfather served on the
Medford Fire
Department and his father served in the
Fire
Rescue
Department in World War II and was a lieutenant in the Concord
Fire Department
for 25 years. Lenox
began his career in 1968 with the Concord
Fire
Department, and was appointed a full-time firefighter in 1979. In 1991
he was made lieutenant, became deputy chief in 1996 and served as
chief from 1998 to 2003. "Right from the beginning I had so much in my
blood I couldn't get rid of it even if I wanted to," said
Lenox. "Once
you get bitten it's over."
Lenox is
familiar with
Peterborough, since his wife Carol's parents, Bill and Joan
Summers, have lived here for 30 years. He has been coming here
regularly to visit, and had planned on retiring here. Former chief
Steve Black encouraged
Lenox to apply
for the job of Fire
Chief when it became available, and he submitted his application to
the Town in February. "Pretty much the rest is history," he said. He
was notified last week that he was chosen as chief by the Town's
search committee. "This is an exciting town with great leadership," he
said. He called
Peterborough a "very unique community" similar to Concord, Mass.
He said the members of the
Fire Department
are "very skilled." "It's gonna be a great career move," he added. As
fire chief and
emergency management director,
Lenox will be
in charge of all department operations, budgeting, Emergency Medical
Services and fire
prevention. He will begin work part-time May 17, and will be working
full time as of June 1.
Lenox, his wife
and his children will be moving to a house on Old Street Road.
Lenox has four
children, ages 11-24. In hiring
Lenox, Thomas
said in a statement that he has "the demonstrated knowledge to manage
an efficient and effective department operation. Joe has the necessary
skills to provide the leadership to the department." She said
Lenox has a
"proven track record of developing innovative ways to achieve
department goals within budget constraints." |
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