Raymond Eaton has been appointed the new interim fire chief for the Weare Fire Department.

The decision was made during a Weare Board of Fire Wards meeting on Monday, April 13.

“We decided as a board it was time for a change,” said fire ward member and fire Capt. Scott Dinsmore. “We felt Ray was a little more qualified to do the job.”

Eaton takes the place of William Tiffany, who was interim chief since Dec. 1, 2008, when then Fire Chief Bob Richards resigned. Tiffany has also stepped down as chairman of the Board of Fire Wards. John Osborne has been named the new chairman.

“This doesn’t take me by surprise at all,” said Tiffany. “I didn’t plan on being here forever anyway. That was not my original intent.”

Eaton, 77, has been a Weare firefighter for more than 53 years, and this is his third time in the position of chief.

“The first thing on my agenda is to try to get everyone to cooperate and start working together,” said Eaton. “They put me in (April 13) to try to get things together and get people working together. I’ve got broad shoulders – I can listen.”

The Weare Board of Fire Wards is currently in the process of searching for a permanent part-time chief, and according to Eaton, he does not plan on throwing his hat in ring. “I’m filling in until the fire wards decide what they want to do,” said Eaton.