HOLYOKE — Holyoke Fire Chief John Pond will begin his retirement Friday after 25 years of working in the city.
Pond will take advantage of unused time off between his last duty day on Jan. 10 and his official retirement day of Feb. 11. Deputy Fire Chief Jeffrey Przekopowski, who Pond said will succeed him in February, will become acting fire chief on Jan. 11.
“I’ve met a lot of great people and now I have a lot of good friends,” Pond, 55, said on his retirement. “Sometimes you know it’s time to go. It’s kinda like a cliche, but I really want to spend time with my family.”
Pond, who was named fire chief eight years ago, remarked how his retirement feels “bittersweet” after spending so many years on the job. Although Pond has no current career plans after his departure, he said the job has opened a lot of potential opportunities.
“It’s given me time to reflect, but I’m sure I won’t sit idle long and I will probably look for something,” Pond said. “I want to take some time to relax and reflect on a great career.”
Pond’s fire department received a federal grant of $730,281 in September to hire six new firefighters. The department also swore in nine new firefighters in December.
The Board of Fire Commissioners, which is in charge of selecting a new fire chief, has already administered the Civil Service assessment to three deputy chiefs interested in the job. Przekopowski was selected by the board to succeed Pond, but he needs to be formally appointed in February, Pond said.
The assessment tests candidates’ leadership skills on the spot in a variety of different scenarios, such as dealing with personnel issues, finances and the media, Pond said.
Przekopowski has been working closely with Pond since he was chosen months ago to “ensure a smooth transition,” Pond said.
“Many municipalities do not have succession planning,” Pond said. “So we wanted to try it and it’s working out.”
The Holyoke Fire Department will celebrate Pond’s last day of work at noon Jan. 10 at the department’s headquarters at 600 High St.
Michael Connors can be reached at mconnors@gazettenet.com.