CHESAPEAKE, Va. — After nearly five decades of service, Chesapeake Fire Chief Edmund Elliott said his final goodbye to the city on Wednesday.
He ended his nearly 50-year chapter with the Chesapeake Fire Department where it all began: at Station 8 in Deep Creek.
Back 1974, Station 8 is the place where the 18-year-old rookie firefighter learned the ropes.
“The rare opportunity of leaving at 68 years old, almost 50 years and doing a complete circle, closing the loop, to go out the same door that I came in," Elliott said.
Elliott quickly climbed the ladder within the Chesapeake Fire Department, hitting the ranks of Battalion Chief, Division Chief of Fire and EMS Operations and Deputy Fire Chief.
A final promotion took him to the top in 2010.
“What I would want the community to know for me personally, it has been an honor and a privilege to serve them not just as a firefighter, but all through the years and all through the ranks," Elliott said. "The last 14 years as their fire chief that’s been an honor and a privilege for me.”
A spokesman for the department said Elliott has always pushed the department forward. He said the chief helped start the city’s hazardous materials unit following the events of September 11th. He also managed numerous tropical weather events.
He's a leader fellow firefighters say they look up to.
"He knew me by name so that says a lot for 400 employees here, early," said Lieutenant Chuck Crowthers. "And he has been great. When you talk to him, he is giving out advice, almost as a mentor to all of us who are trying to make the department better.”
Elliott said he’s leaving the department better than he found it.
"I would let the community know is they have a department that is not only in good hands but when they call 911 they are going to get the absolute best service possible and we are committed to that," Elliott said.
Now, Elliott is looking forward to retirement in Deep Creek, the neighborhood he’s called home since he was a boy.
"How blessed I am to have a career that lasted that long, Elliott said. "I am leaving happy, leaving healthy, leaving from the same place where I started and to me this is almost like story book, you know? You couldn’t write a better story.”
Elliott’s retirement officially begins on January 1.
On Monday, city officials swore in Sam Gulisano as the next fire chief. He started working with the department back in 1995.