Robert Bickford is in his first full week being Wiscasset’s fire chief again. The 31-year veteran of the department served as chief from 2010 to 2013. He was voted chief at a fire department meeting Dec. 4 and was appointed by Town Manager John O’Connell Dec. 9.

When not at the fire station, Bickford works across the street for Lincoln County Communications 9-1-1.

He said the fire department is undergoing a top to bottom evaluation of needs. “When we are done, I’ll have a better idea of what the priorities are,” he said. “For now, I’m not planning on changing much. I’m just getting my feet under me and figuring out where everything stands.”

He said his department, like all town departments, has major needs, and he is looking forward to working with O’Connell and selectmen to solve identified issues.

Bickford said personnel isn’t a serious issue in Wiscasset but may become one. Younger people are not volunteering for the fire department at the rates they have. More intensive training requirements mean many hours away from the prospective firefighter’s regular job, preventing some people from volunteering, Bickford said. But he primarily sees it as a generational issue. “This new generation isn’t like the previous ones when it comes to volunteering. It’s a problem with volunteer departments nationwide.”

Bickford has lived in Wiscasset more than 40 years. He and wife Janet have a daughter, Jenna, in college.