DOVER, NH—He'll miss the camaraderie and working as a team to help keep people in the city safe. But he won't miss getting called out at 2 a.m. in the winter when the temperatures can be frigid.
At the end of June, Eric Hagman, 52, will retire as Dover Fire and Rescue's fire chief, a position he has held since September 2015. He is capping a career of more than 30 years in firefighting.
It will be Hagman's second retirement. He tried in 2012, and he was successful for three years. At the time, Hagman retired as second in command of a department that was led by Richard Driscoll.
But shortly after Driscoll retired in 2015, Hagman put his retirement on hold. It was only to be for a temporary basis while City Manager Michael Joyal sought a full-time chief. Hagman had no interest in becoming the chief — until he spent a couple of months as interim chief.
"I found I enjoyed it far more than I ever expected," Hagman said Tuesday of the chief's position. "The last 3½ years have been outstanding."
Joyal announced Hagman's retirement to the City Council in an email early Saturday morning.
"Throughout Chief Hagman's tenure, he has ensured that our Fire and Rescue Department and the staff that comprise the department adhere to the highest standards of excellence in providing fire, rescue, EMS and building inspection services. With his leadership, our community has benefited from having a very capable and highly regarded fire and rescue service that supports the safety and quality of life we all enjoy here in Dover," Joyal wrote.
Hagman began his firefighting career in 1984 in his hometown of Madbury soon after he graduated from high school. The chief of the volunteer fire department lived up the road from Hagman and told him the department needed more volunteers to serve the community. After gaining experience, he began working at the Dover Fire Department a few years later.
When he started full-time, he worked with Driscoll on the same shift. Driscoll was an engineer at the time.
"We worked a lot of fires together," Driscoll said Tuesday. "As I got promoted up, he got promoted up behind me."
Hagman became a shift lieutenant in 1998 and a station lieutenant in 2000. In 2002, Hagman was promoted to captain and oversaw training. In 2005, he was promoted to deputy chief and oversaw fire prevention efforts. After Driscoll became chief in 2011, he promoted Hagman to his second in command, where he remained until Hagman retired the first time in mid-2012.
Driscoll called Hagman a dedicated public servant, which he said was evident in Hagman coming out of retirement to become chief. "It shows how dedicated he is to the city and the residents," Driscoll said.
Police Chief Bill Breault praised Hagman for the collaboration between the two departments.
"The relationship and teamwork between the police department and fire department has never been stronger and is due in large part to Chief Hagman's leadership, high level of cooperation and commitment to the community," Breault said. "Eric leaves large shoes to fill, but I have the utmost confidence that he has prepared those under his command to step into leadership roles."
Hagman said he continues to love the job and love the people he works with, but being called at all times of the day or night, especially during cold winter nights has taken a toll on him. "My body is not enjoying the winter any more," he said.
Hagman plans to return to teaching college-level fire science courses, which he had done during his first retirement.
Joyal noted in his email to the City Council that he expects to hire the next chief from within the department.
"In the weeks ahead, I anticipate meeting with members of the department to determine the most capable and qualified person to next serve as Dover's Fire and Rescue chief," Joyal wrote.
His goal is to have a chief named by mid-June to "a brief overlap and a seamless transition before Chief Hagman's final workday."
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