BAILEYVILLE – Everyone in town calls him Gussie.

For more than 50 years, he has volunteered as a member of the fire department.

And now Fire Chief Lawrence “Gus” Gillis has decided to step down. His retirement is effective Dec. 19.

Gillis joined the Baileyville Fire Department in 1952, back when it was the Woodland Fire Department. He was named chief in 1988.

On Monday, the Baileyville Town Council appointed Darren Ireland to replace Gillis.

“I just want to say that I appreciate the service that Gus has given to the fire department,” Town Manager Scott Harriman said Monday. “He has been involved in the fire department in some aspect or another since the early 1950s. You don’t see that type of community service anymore. The world has certainly changed since then.”

Harriman said that the town planned to hold a reception in Gillis’ honor. He said a date for the reception would be announced later.

Ireland, who attended the meeting, said that he would be available anytime for questions from the council. He said he planned to hire more volunteers.

In 2002, the town honored Gillis for his years of service.

He said then that when he joined the department he was given a rubber raincoat, hip boots and a helmet and handed the end of a nozzle.

Now firefighters have to go through hundreds of hours of training before they can fight a fire.

Over the years, Gillis has been on the front line for some serious fires.

In 1998, more than 20 residents carrying what they could had to be evacuated from their homes when a forest fire erupted along U.S. Route 1.

The fire, which began after lightning struck the area, covered more than 50 acres and was finally stopped by firefighters within a few feet of several homes.

The fire lasted for several days after a hot spot reignited and burned an additional 50 acres and threatened several homes on the South Princeton Road.