Winchester Selectmen appoint John Field as town fire chief

The Winchester Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed John Field as the town's new fire chief at its March 17, 2025, meeting.

Town Manager presented the recommendation, calling attention to Field’s more than three decades in public safety, a 27-year tenure with the Torrington Fire Department (including service as fire chief from 2001 to 2012), work as assistant director at the Burrill Fire Training School, service as a regional coordinator with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management, and leadership of the Northwest CT Public Safety Task Force. The board then moved and seconded a motion to appoint Field; the motion passed unanimously.

The manager told the board Field had led initiatives in Torrington that included a comprehensive vehicle replacement program, modernization of apparatus and improvements to a North End station. The board recognized the former chief, identified in the meeting as Chief Legasse, and thanked him for his years of service.

The appointment is intended to place an experienced leader at the head of Winchester’s fire operations; the town manager said Field’s mix of volunteer and career-firefighting experience and regional emergency-management background will support future emergency-response work.

No additional conditions or implementation dates for the appointment were specified during the meeting. The board did not record any opposing votes.

Ending: The selectmen offered congratulations to Chief Field before moving on to the next agenda item.