Mansfield ends 28-year run as fire chief

After 28 years, Wendall Mansfield is no longer Stowe’s fire chief. He was not re-elected by the Stowe Fire Department.

But, after that vote, the town government established a new position crafted for Mansfield: fire director.

With that job — which is unpaid — Mansfield will still be able to participate in the New England Association of Fire Chiefs.

Mansfield, 72, said he wants to continue to be involved with fire department matters.

“You have to be an active fire chief or fire director or fire marshal to be an officer in the New England Association of Fire Chiefs,” Mansfield said. And, with the Stowe Fire Department, “I still have a vested interest in it.”

The department’s 40 members elected officers, including the chief, at their annual meeting earlier this month. Mark Sgantas was elected as the new fire chief.

The job of fire director “was basically created for Wendall,” Sgantas said. “He can assist us with any functions of the fire department and give guidance. He has a lot of experience.”

The Stowe Select Board established the job on Monday.

According to the job description, the director is appointed by the fire department’s officers to be an adviser, and “may participate” at his or her own expense “at functions relating to the fire service.”

The fire department’s officers can review, modify, suspend or abolish the director’s job at any time, with the select board’s approval.

“The position of fire director shall have no authority in the operational or financial management of the Stowe Fire Department,” the description says.

28 years as chief

When Mansfield began volunteering with the Stowe Fire Department, he had to listen for the sirens to sound, and then run from his house to the station.

It was the early 1950s, a simpler time, and the fire department had about half as many volunteers as it has now. Stowe was a quiet community of mostly farmers and mill workers.

You had to live in the village to be a firefighter, as it was only a village fire department, Mansfield said. If you didn’t hear the siren, you didn’t know there was a fire. Once you heard the sirens, you ran to the fire station, he said.

After 46 years with the department — 40 of them as an officer — Mansfield has seen many changes, both in the volunteer organization and in the town.

Mansfield grew up with the fire department. His father, Stanely, had joined the department in 1921 and was assistant chief. Mansfield joined the department in 1952, when it shared space with the electric department in the building that’s now the Vermont Ski Museum.

After four years in the Air Force, Mansfield returned to Stowe in 1957, but couldn’t get back on the fire department until 1963. There was actually a waiting list, Mansfield said, a far cry from today.

Stanely Mansfield and Chief Albert Raymond both retired in 1961.

Upon rejoining the department, Mansfield worked his way up the ranks, eventually becoming fire chief on Jan. 3, 1979 — a date that he’ll never forget.

The fire department celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.