“I’m 60 years old now. I think it’s time for someone with newer ideas, more modern ideas to take over the department and move it forward”, stated Jim Beckwith, longtime Tyrone Fire Chief.
Beckwith made the announcement that he’d be retiring during the Tyrone Borough Council meeting earlier this week. Beckwith has been Tyrone’s fire chief for 28 years; however, he has been with the department since 1961.
Beckwith says he intends to stay active in the department even after his last day as fire chief at the end of the year.
“I’m a member of the ‘Hookies’ and I plan to stay there as long as my health permits”, Beckwith told The Daily Herald after Monday’s meeting.
He even joked he’d stay involved as long as his wife didn’t throw him out of the house. Beckwith added he’d be a driver and do what ever he could to help the department out.
Fire Chief Beckwith told Tyrone Borough Council he’d draft a formal letter of resignation and have it ready to present to council at the next meeting. The effective date of his resignation will be December 31st. Beckwith also informed council of the procedure for replacing him, indicating that the two fire companies would submit the names of interested applicants and then council make a decision on who should take over the position starting on the first day of 2004.
“It’s not that our department has come to a stand still by any means. I think after 28 years it’s time for a change of leadership,’ Beckwith said in reiterating his reasons for retiring at year’s end.
His announcement was greeted with reserved shock followed by a “thank you” from Mayor Pat Stoner and a round of applause for the years of effort Chief Beckwith gave to the Tyrone Fire department.
“We will miss his expertise, his attitude and we greatly appreciated it,” said Mayor Patricia Stoner. “He was the borough’s emergency management person. He provided the history and we are grateful and appreciative.”
