Lincolnshire’s most senior fire officer, Mark Baxter, will step down in April next year.
His retirement will mark 35 years in Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, with more than 6 years in the top job.
Announcing his intention to retire, Mark said: “I have enjoyed every moment within the fire service and have always been immensely proud to work alongside amazing people during my career.
“I am grateful for all the support, advice, and guidance I have received over the years to help me do the best job I can for our communities.
“I’ve always been proud to have started my career as an on call firefighter in Lincolnshire and continuously served within my home county”
Andrew Crookham, chief executive of Lincolnshire County Council, thanked Mark for his service to Lincolnshire communities.
He said: “I’m grateful to Mark for his dedication to Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue – from working on the frontline to leading the service. Mark is leaving the fire service in a good place with an impressive recent inspection result that shows great progress.
“As well as being our Chief Fire Officer, he has also chaired the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum – the partnership of agencies that keep the public safe during emergency situations.
“On a personal note, Mark has been a fantastic colleague to me during my time in Lincolnshire and has been an excellent member of the corporate leadership team since I took over as Chief Executive last year. I will miss him greatly.”
The search will now be on for Mark’s successor with plans to recruit to the role in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition and handover of work.