ILION, N.Y. - The Ilion Fire Department has named Tom Pedersen its 12th fire chief.
Chief Pedersen has 24 years of fire service.
Codes enforcement will be a priority of his, that's what he spent his first day on the job doing.
Chief Pedersen is also examining the department's vehicles, procedures related to the village's water problems, and overall aging infrastructure.
"We have the duo-fold building the village has taken over and hoping to do something with it, I don't know if they'll develop it or take it down, that's in the preliminary stages, that's definitely a challenge for us, it's a huge building, a big fire load if it ever catches fire, we're hoping it comes down before that ever happens," Chief Pedersen said.
Chief Pedersen trained for a week with former Chief Robert Paddock who retired at the end of July.
Ilion has 16 paid firefighters and 12 to 15 active volunteers.
