ROCKPORT — Applications flew in from across the country, even from Alaska, for the advertised position of fire chief in Rockport. Now the Rockport Town Manager and the Fire Chief Search Committee will convene to begin sifting through the pile.

Longtime Rockport Fire Chief Bruce Woodward is retiring this spring after 42 years of service to the town, and 40 years at the helm as fire chief.

His position was advertised with an application deadline of Jan. 10.

In the job description, Rockport said the town has one main fire station, on Main Street on the outskirts of Rockport Village near Route 1, and one unmanned fire station in West Rockport. The fire chief position is the only employee position of the department, and Woodward currently supervises approximately 30 volunteer firefighters.

Rockport Town Manager Robert Peabody said Jan. 14 that he will begin reviewing the applications soon, and create a timeline by which the search committee to begin its work. The search committee includes Peabody, Rockland Fire Chief Charles Jordan, and Rockport firefighters Bill Lane, John Wickenden and Charles Pearson.

Rockport has 6,000 parcels of property, including 3,600 timeshares, a hospital and landfill/transfer station, according to the job description. Applicants are to have considerable administrative and incident management experience, including that as a fire service officer.

Most of the applications were postmarked with adddresses outside of Maine, according to the town manager's office. The position had been advertised at the Maine Municipal Association website, and in several Maine publications.

Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@PenBayPilot.com; 706-6657.