Topsham’s fire and rescue chief of seven years, Brian Stockdale, has been appointed Lewiston’s new fire chief.
Lewiston City Administrator Ed Barrett announced the hiring on Tuesday.
Stockdale starts in Lewiston on July 27 and his initial salary will be $92,977.
Lewiston selected Stockdale after a nationwide search that attracted 32 applicants.
According to Barrett: “Brian impressed the interview panel based on his varied experiences; strength in strategic planning; emphasis on training, management and leadership abilities; and passion for the fire service. All of us look forward to working with him as he takes on this new challenge.”
Stockdale on Wednesday said the change is bittersweet. While excited over new challenges, he has enjoyed his time in Topsham and the support he’s received from town officials and the community.
“I loved being here in Topsham,” he said. “It’s been an incredible place to work with all the members and administration and the citizens. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
Stockdale’s last day in Topsham is July 26.
Topsham Town Manager Rich Roedner said Deputy Chief Mike Labbe will be working with existing staff until a new chief is brought on. Roedner said it will likely be September before a new chief is appointed.
Roedner praised Stockdale for taking an arguably small budget and parlaying it into a good-sized force. Stockdale managed a large number of call and per diem firefighters in order to provide 24-hour emergency service.
Roedner expects Topsham’s next chief to pick up where Stockdale has left off and continue to move the department forward.
Reflecting on his time in Topsham, Stockdale noted: “We’ve implemented our fleet replacement program and been able to replace the majority of the fleet. We’ve increased our staffing and decreased our response time and we’ve implemented quite a few public safety programs.”
That includes prevention education programs within the community, such as home safety surveys and working with local organizations on smoke detector replacement programs.
Stockdale, a native of Boston, began his career in the fire service in Hope Mills, North Carolina. After relocating to Maine, Stockdale served as a firefighter and paramedic for Brunswick and chairman of the Department of Medical Assisting at Southern Maine Community College.
He is an Army veteran and has worked as a registered nurse at several hospitals, including Mid Coast Hospital, Maine General and the Shriners Burn Hospital in Boston. He is a certified Maine paramedic and holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership.
Stockdale said the full-time Lewiston Fire Department offers him new challenges for which he is ready. Of his time in Topsham, he said: “It’s been an honor to serve here for me.”
dmoore@timesrecord.com
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