He will be missed.
Norbert LeBlanc, the current chief of the Humboldt Fire Department, will be retiring on December 21. His letter of resignation was presented to Humboldt City Council during a regular meeting on November 13.
LeBlanc first joined the Humboldt Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter in February of 1983.
"I started as volunteer chief in 1990," said LeBlanc. "I was volunteer chief for three years and from there I became the first full-time fire chief in Humboldt."
Although he originally was going to retire when he turned 60, LeBlanc decided to put in a few more years, but said it is now time for him to retire.
"It has been a great job and I enjoyed it," said LeBlanc.
After serving the city on the fire department for nearly 30 years - 22 of those as fire chief - LeBlanc said it was time to let someone else take the reins.
"I think now it is time for somebody young to come and step in my shoes and hopefully continue what I started," said LeBlanc. "We have a great fire department here now, with great firefighters, and hopefully they continue all the work I put in here."
The City will be advertising for a new fire chief as soon as possible to fill the gap that will be left from LeBlanc's retirement.
Mayor Malcolm Eaton was unavailable for comment regarding LeBlanc's announcement.
