Daniel Baldwin was appointed Westport’s next fire chief Tuesday evening, in a unanimous vote by the Board of Selectmen.

Deputy Chief Baldwin, a lifelong Westporter who joined the department at age 18 and has been there ever since, officially starts Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. He replaces outgoing fire chief Brian Legendre, who announced his decision to retire several months ago.

“I’m eager to continue on with what I’ve been doing for about 28 years,” Baldwin told board members. “I’ve still got a long career in front of me.”

Baldwin was the only department member to apply for the position, which was offered in-house first, before a public search was extended. He was interviewed by a town search committee in mid-September and members came away impressed, select board and committee member Steve Ouellette said.

“He’s got his head into what he’s doing,” Ouellette said. “We’re impressed with his commitment not only to the town, but his commitment to the job.”

Select board members had some pointed questions for Baldwin during his interview before them Tuesday evening, including how his department deals with the town’s financial and staffing positions, what kind of relationship it has with nearby departments, and what he thinks about privatization of some services, including EMS, as a way to trim costs that may be necessary in the wake of the town’s override vote failure in July.

“To cut would be very difficult,” he said. “We’re already at bare bones. Other than that, it’s a difficult question because the budget is the budget ... we always make it work.”

As for privatization of some services, Baldwin said he has nothing against private contractors, but thinks having everything in-house, under one roof, is a more streamlined and efficient way to run the department. In addition, he said there is “extreme” turnover at many private ambulance companies, and those companies don’t have the local knowledge Westport’s bravest enjoy.

“As you know, Westport is an awesome, beautiful town,” though it’s often difficult to find addresses in many areas. “When you have a fire department like ours with members who live here, work here, we know this ton like the back of our hand. There’s just a wealth of information we have ... that helps us deliver the best quality of care that we can.”

The department also works well with nearby departments and that’s key, he said, as mutual aid — the sharing of resources from town to town when one department is backed up — necessitates good relationships with neighbors.

Baldwin is vocal on Social Media and said that presence is designed to keep residents up to speed on department doings. He believes that by regularly giving updates on what is happening within the department, residents will be better informed on its needs, areas where it lacks, and areas where it excels.

He said that information is also key in attracting new members and retaining those who are already here.

“It’s not just Westport. It’s not the way it used to be. I fought to get the job and now you just don’t know how many applicants you’re going to get.”

But, “you want people on the outside saying, ‘I want to work at Westport Fire. I like what they have to offer.’”