By Curt Peterson
Chris LaHart has been named the new chief of Killington Fire and Rescue, a new paid position.
LaHart appeared at a Select Board meeting Nov. 14 from his current home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to introduce himself via Zoom.
LaHart is retiring from the DOD Civil Service System in December with 32 years military and civil service firefighting experience. Most recently, he has been an operational battalion fire chief of six fire stations in a large fire department servicing a network of firefighting companies and stations, with more than 250 employees. He will take over as chief when upon his retirement, approximately Jan. 15, 2023. LaHart has plenty of rural firefighting experience, both career and during his volunteer career.
LaHart and his wife Leslie are natives of New York and the Adirondacks and told the Select Board, “I am looking forward to getting up there again.”
LaHart will start his new position in January with a $70,000 salary.
Gary Roth served as the volunteer fire chief for 10 years prior to the town moving to this new paid position, which drew 23 candidates for the search committee and then Select Board to consider.
“Gary Roth is still the volunteer chief and second in command is the Deputy Chief Tom Rock,”
explained Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth in an email to the Mountain Times, Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Select Board Jim Haff said LaHart’s relevant experience and leadership skills will serve the people of Killington well.
