BRATTLEBORO, VT. (MyKeeneNow) Brattleboro’s Fire Chief Leonard Howard III will be stepping down at the end of this year, concluding a long and dedicated career with the Brattleboro Fire Department that began in the late 1980s.

Howard’s retirement will be official on Dec. 31, marking the end of an era for the department and the community he has served for nearly four decades, according to a news release from the fire department.

Chief Howard’s journey with the Brattleboro Fire Department began in 1987 when he joined as a member of the call staff, a team of volunteers who supported full-time firefighters during emergencies. Howard balanced this role with a full-time job at Brattleboro Public Works’ Utilities Division, a position he took up in 1988 just after finishing high school, the release said. Nine years later, his deep commitment to the fire service led him to become a career firefighter. From there, he rose steadily through the ranks: first promoted to Lieutenant in 2001, then Captain in 2007, Assistant Chief in 2017, and ultimately Fire Chief in 2021.

Over the years, Chief Howard has overseen a number of major initiatives. He played a pivotal role in organizing the department’s career staff under the International Association of Fire Fighters, developed Brattleboro’s Rental Housing Registry to improve rental inspections, and most recently led the transition to a municipal model for emergency services.

The town has already begun the search for Howard’s successor.