CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After 28 years with the Charleston Fire Department, Fire Chief Robert Sutler is retiring.
Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin announced Sutler’s retirement during Monday’s city council meeting. Sutler, who became fire chief in April 2018, will retire on Friday.
Sutler told WCHS-AM he made the decision “a couple of months” ago
“It comes to a point where when you turn 50 and you can draw your pension, you can go,” the Charleston native said. “I put in my time, got my years in, have my age, and it’s just time.”
Sutler joined the fire department during what he described as a “big fire period,” which has since slowed down.
“We react and adapt to what’s going on at the time. Sometimes, we can forecast it a year ahead. Sometimes, we don’t know what we’re going to be doing next week because we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” he said. “Just being adaptable to a situation is the biggest part.”
Sutler said his biggest hope is people realize he gave everything to being a member of the fire department.
“It’s a second family,” he said. “It’s the help that you can provide for the community. There’s no other job like it in America.”
When asked about his future plans, Sutler joked he wouldn’t know until Monday.