Lebanon Fire Chief Duane Trautman has retired from his position as the city’s top firefighter, effective March 30, after being placed on paid leave earlier that month.
Read More: City fire chief is on paid administrative leave, Lebanon officials mum on why
Trautman had been with the city’s fire service in one capacity or another since the early 1990s.
Read More: Firefighting isn’t just what Duane Trautman does – it’s who he is
As they have since Trautman’s leave was first revealed, both sides have declined to comment in any detail on why Trautman was placed on leave or what led to his leaving the city.
Reached by phone on Friday evening, April 14, Trautman would only confirm that he has “retired,” that he is still receiving city-provided health insurance, and that he remains eligible for a city pension.
In an email to LebTown later Friday evening, Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello confirmed that Trautman is no longer a city employee.
Capello’s said in her email that “[d]uring his time as Commissioner/Chief, Duane was able to establish several life-safety initiatives, including personnel accountability on scene, improved training, formation & deployment of RIT, radio, equipment & apparatus upgrades and in general, modernized the [city’s] fire service.”
“As Mayor and on behalf of the City,” Capello’s email continued, “we are grateful to Chief Trautman for all his efforts and wish him only the best in his future endeavors.”
The city has announced on its website that it is seeking to hire a new chief.
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