David M. Jardin Takes One Final Ride as Stoughton's Fire Chief

HATS OFF CHIEF! Hundreds of people turned out Thursday afternoon to the Central Street Fire Station to honor retiring Fire Chief . Jardin and his family, along with Interim Fire Chief , welcomed dozens of people each hour, from all sectors of the Stoughton Community.

Jardin has been with the Stoughton Fire Department for 38 years, including serving the last seven as chief. 

At the end of the open house, Jardin climbed into Engine 4 for a celebratory ride to his Willow Street home. Captain Don Jasmin of the SFD had the honors of driving his longtime friend.

Jardin's young granddaughters, Abigail Jardin and Hannah Gauthier, joined him on the ride.

Jardin, who was jovial throughout the open house, noticed the light snow that started falling as he climbed into the fire truck. "Hey, Chief, it's snowing!," he shouted jokingly to Interim Fire Chief Dolloff.

"It's the first time it's snowing and I don't have to worry about it," Jardin said.

Faces In the Crowd during the open house included: Superintendent of Schools Marguerite Rizzi, retired Superintendent of Schools Anthony Sarno, School Facilities Director Joel Harding, Stoughton Police Chief Paul Shastany, Sgt. Tom Murphy and officer Donna McNamara, Selectmen John Anderson, Cynthia Walsh, and John Stagnone, SMAC Board member Steve Bates and SMAC executive director Steve Innis, Town Manager Francis Crimmins, Jr., Human Resources Director Martin McNamara, DPW Superintendent John Batchelder, Planning Board Chairman Joe Scardino, and the Fire Chiefs of a dozen neighboring communities. Two visitors from Plymouth--their town manager Mark Stankiewicz and DPW director Jonathan Beder, both former Stoughton town employees--also came.  

Special thanks to Jim Bertram of the SFD for contributing photos.

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