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And Greenwich Assistant Fire Chief Robert Kick said Wilton made the right choice in promoting Jeffery Locher.
"In Greenwich, he was a great officer, and Wilton is very lucky to be able to get him into the officer ranks," Kick said. "He is very meticulous. And he takes care of his people, and he gets the job done."
He said Locher was always a very involved officer in Greenwich, throwing himself into his responsibilities whether it was a fire, car accident or a health emergency.
"If I was ever to fall ill, I'd be happy to look up and see Jeff standing above me," Kick said.
Locher, 49, returned the compliments, saying he was very impressed with the work in Greenwich.
"It was an awesome experience, you were constantly learning," he said.
Locher received a Medal of Valor for saving the life of a person trapped in a burning car in 2012.
He said he's looking forward to his new responsibilities and praised his fellow firefighters in Wilton.
"It's a huge responsibility. But again knowing the quality of the guys you have around you makes all the difference," he said after the ceremony. "You are just kind trying to steer the ship, making sure everybody is safe and OK and doing things the right way. It's the quality of a good officer is being able to use the people around you to get the work done. I am only as good as those guys."
Wilton Fire Chief Ronald Kanterman said becoming a lieutenant means that Locher will have to think "multidimensional while multitasking" as he leads a firefighting team. But he said Locher is up to the challenge.
"Not an easy feat by any means, however, it's apparent he has the experience, the drive and the talent to pull it all together," Kanterman said.
Locher, 49, a Norwalk native took his Firefighter Class 1 test in Wilton about 20 years ago. He moved to the Wilton Fire Department 15 years ago after his service in Greenwich.
Locher and his wife Tracy have three daughters: Jacqueline, 15, Kelsey, 13, and Madison,10. They live in Wilton.
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