CANAAN — The town is searching for a new fire chief after the current chief has announced plans to retire just a few months after his permanent appointment.
Despite previous plans to stick around for three to five years, Fire Chief Chris Olsen, 60, is retiring early after over 40 years in fire rescue service, he said, due to interest in moving to North Carolina.
The town has launched a search for a new chief to oversee both fire and EMS operations. The deadline to submit a resume and cover letter to interim Town Administrator Jack Wozmak is June 17.
This is the first time the town has undertaken a search for fire chief since voters passed an article allowing the Selectboard to appoint a fire chief at Town Meeting in 2025, effective in 2026. Previously, the department would vote internally and pass a recommendation along to the Selectboard.
The town has struggled to keep the top spot in the fire department filled since Canaan’s first full-time fire chief and emergency services manager, John Hennessy, stepped down unexpectedly in 2024 without explanation after 40 years in the department and two years as chief.
The Selectboard appointed Rick Colburn as interim chief after Hennessey’s January departure, but he moved away in June 2024. Hue Wetherbee, the department’s third-in-command at the time, then served as an interim chief for a few months, but ultimately declined to become chief on a part-time basis.
In October 2024, the Selectboard appointed Bill Bellion to serve as a part-time chief. Bellion had previously held the position before Hennessey. When Bellion stepped down later in the year, Olsen came into the picture as interim chief.
Olsen worked for about four months but then left for eight months — from March to November 2025 — due to personal reasons, he said. During that period, Steve Kulacz, a current assistant chief, took over temporarily.
After Olsen returned to continue serving on an interim basis, the fire department voted earlier this year for him to take on a permanent role as chief, according to Jan. 6 Selectboard meeting minutes.
Olsen spent the majority of his career on Cape Cod, but then floated around to different fire departments to serve as needed, typically through Municipal Resources Inc, a Plymouth, N.H.-based firm that aids towns and other entities in recruiting and provides temporary personnel.
“Usually, they send me to some places where there is a lot of work to be done,” said Olsen.
Throughout Olsen’s time as chief in Canaan, he helped facilitate a merger between fire services and EMS services. The department is currently working to get members certified in both areas.
The job posting, available through the town website and via Indeed, has a salary range of $80,000 to $90,000 per year with a requirement of experience, plus proper licensing and certifications. A bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, Emergency Medical Services or a related field is preferred.
Canaan responds to approximately 1,200 calls in a year, based on data shared by the department last year.
The current chain of command is one chief, two assistant chiefs, two captains, two lieutenants and the rest of the firefighters and EMTs, a roster of about 40 people. No one currently on the department has applied, but Olsen noted that they still have a few weeks left to do so.
Town officials involved in the hiring process include Olsen, Wozmak and a Selectboard member to be determined. Olsen noted that a New Hampshire fire chief from a larger department and one from a smaller department may also assist in reviewing applicants.
The search for a new fire chief comes as the town is also searching for a new town administrator. Wozmak also stepped in through Municipal Resources Inc., after Chet Hagenbarth departed on March 4 after about two years in the role.
The search for a permanent town administrator is ongoing. Wozmak told the Valley News in March that a hiring process could take anywhere from four months to a year to find a permanent replacement, depending on the applicant pool.
The goal is for the new chief to come in toward the end of July or beginning of August, said Olsen. So far, 10 people have applied, mostly from New Hampshire or at least New England, with a couple applicants living in other parts of the country.
Olsen is committed to staying “as long as it takes to get the right chief,” he said.
