After just over a year of being appointed Londonderry Fire Chief, Bo Butler resigned his duties as commander of the department, citing budget constraints, Assistant Fire Chief, Fred Heinrich, has taken over command as of Saturday, Nov. 2.
In a press release from the Town of Londonderry Office of Human Resources, issued last week, town officials stated, “Following consultation with the Town Manager and the Town Council, I am pleased to announce that Assistant Fire Chief, Fred Heinrich, has been appointed as Acting Fire Chief. At 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2024, command of Londonderry Fire Department will officially transfer to Assistant Chief Heinrich following the retirement of Fire Chief, Bo Butler, on November 1. This appointment will remain in effect until such time as a permanent appointment is made.
With over 30 years of service to the Londonderry Fire Department, the Town Manager and Town Council have the utmost confidence in Assistant Chief Heinrich’s ability to assume full command of the department.”
Tara Koza, the Human Resources Director for the Town of Londonderry, signed the statement.
Separately, in a “Letter of Resignation” to the town, Bo Butler reiterated his love for the town he was born and raised.
The letter states, “With my honor, integrity & character maintained – and my oath upheld – I tender this resignation as Chief of Department, effective 01 Nov 2024.
My Hometown: I carried you with me into the Valley of the Shadow. When I returned home, covered in an invisible pollution – lost & off azimuth – you embraced me as your son. You supported me with unyielding love & in doing so, have taken part in the restoration of my soul. Londonderry – I will love you forever.
My Fire Department: You share the incommunicable experience of living the passion of life to its top while performing your sacred and selfless service to mankind. You sacrifice your youth. You sacrifice your health. You sacrifice your time – precious and finite. You sacrifice your energy and your effort. You sacrifice it all – for others. You sacrifice it all – for each other. You supremely give all of this & more. You experience the highest highs and the lowest lows. You witness death, trauma and suffering at a level so intimate that words will forever fail to explain. You are the light at the tip of a candle – you burn hot and you burn bright. You understand the nature of suffering and darkness at a level incomprehensible to the civilian. You have sacrificed so much. This cherished gift of living the passion of life to its top is not a crutch, but a chisel. A chisel used to sculpt yourself – through your trauma, suffering & sacrifice of this noble calling – into the most enlightened and beautiful group of human beings on this earth. Londonderry Fire – I will love you forever.”
The letter ends with: “There is a way of losing that is finding. When soul overmasters sense; when the noble and divine self overcomes the lower self; when duty and honor and love – immortal things – bid the mortal perish.
It is only when a man supremely gives that he supremely finds.”
The Londonderry Times reached out to Fred Heinrich for a statement on his new role, but did not receive a response.
We also asked Town Manager, Mike Malaguti, about the use of the word “retirement” in the statement on Heinrich’s appointment. That question was also not answered.