STOTTVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Stottville Fire Chief Michael Briscoe publicly announced his retirement on Sunday. Briscoe has served his community for almost 50 years—30 of which he held the position of chief.

During his tenure with the Stottville Fire Company, Briscoe accomplished many great things, according to a public statement. Most recently, the statement read, he oversaw the acquisition of two new trucks, and upgraded the fire company’s Jaws of Life. He also “served on countless Fire/EMS calls,” a spokesperson said, “and under his command he has made sure his firefighters remained safe while protecting the community.”

“For many of us, he raised us like a father in this company and prepared us for our futures,” the public statement read. “As he retires as chief, we are thankful for all that he has done for our company and for us individually to prepare us for a new era. Though his shoes will always be too large to fill, we will always stive to meet the standards he has set and perform at the highest level.”

Community members echoed congratulations for the retiring chief, some saying he’ll “be a tough act to follow.” His retirement is effective immediately.