From left are Lyle Holland, past Westfield fire chief; Westfield Mayor Mike Vandevelde; and Chris Reese, Westfield Fire Department chief. Submitted photo

The Fire Department of Westfield recently recognized a historic milestone for one of its former fire chiefs, Lyle Holland.

Holland joined the department’s Hook & Ladder Company in September 1972 and was honored recently for his 50 years of service to the residents of Westfield.

During his 50-year career Holland has held a number of different positions within the fire department. Holland has served as the department’s safety officer, a lieutenant, captain, warden, quartermaster, vice president, and captain of the Rescue Squad and an emergency medical technician for decades. Holland was chief of the Fire Department of Westfield in 2008 and 2009, and has been an active member of the Chautauqua County Fire Chief’s Association for decades, as well as the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs.

In addition to his service to the Fire Chief’s Associations, Holland has served with a number of different organizations all focused on the fire service. Holland is a current director and past president of the Westfield Exempt Volunteer Firemen’s Association. Holland is also a fire advisory board member for Chautauqua County serving on the awards, revolving loan, mutual aid, by-laws, vehicle replacement and facilities committees, and chairman of the Future of the Fire Service Committee. At the regional level Holland has served on the Southwestern Association of Volunteer Firemen as president in 2005 after serving as director and vice president for Chautauqua County and numerous committees including Firefighter of the Year. At the state level, Holland has served on the recruitment and retention committee for the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, and on the national level he has been a National Volunteer Fire Council member.

In marking Holland’s 50 years of service to the Fire Department of Westfield, Chris Reese, current fire chief, noted how Holland participates in most every activity conducted by the fire department. Reese said Holland is respected in the department for correcting or fixing whatever he sees at the fire hall that needs to be repaired, usually without anyone asking him to do so. Reese also said Holland carries out the important responsibilities of checking the department ambulance for needed equipment, and ensuring that everything in the fire hall not in its proper place is put away correctly.

In recognition of Holland’s 50 years of service to the fire service, Westfield Mayor Mike Vandevelde declared Nov. 7, 2022, Lyle Holland Day in Westfield presenting Holland with a proclamation from the Village of Westfield.