It is with deep regreat that the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department announces the passing of Past Chief Richard McGlyn, the town’s first paid fire chief, Wednesday afternoon at his home.
Chief McGlynn was fated to be a fireman. He was born across the street from the firehouse and his grandfather had been a founder of the fire department in 1895. He began fighting fires as a high school student during World War II when many of the regular volunteers were in the service. In 1950, only a couple of years after Ridgefield created the position of paid fireman, Dick McGlynn joined the force of four. Still also a volunteer, he was elected chief of the volunteer department from 1964 to 1968. In 1973, he became the paid department’s first chief, a post he held until his retirement in 1989. (In the early years, he was both the paid and volunteer chief at the same time.) “He’s one of those rare individuals who gives everything of himself to the town,” said then First Selectman Sue Manning at his retirement banquet.
When he started with the paid department, it had four people, enough to have one person on duty around the clock, seven days a week. If a call came in, that man could roll the ambulance or a fire truck while volunteers were being summoned. Much changed in Chief McGlynn’s years. There was one ambulance, one firehouse, and four fire trucks when he started. By the time he retired, there were 65 volunteers, 26 career firefighters, two ambulances, eight trucks, and two firehouses.
At Chief McGlynn’s retirement party in 1989, Police Chief Thomas Rotunda suggested that if the long-discussed new firehouse is ever built, it should be named the “McGlynn Firehouse.” After all, one McGlynn helped found and led the volunteers, and another led the development of the professionals.
The funeral was held Tuesday 10/13. Click the headline for pictures of Chief McGlynn and the services.
