Annapolis Fire Chief Jerome W. Smith, who has worked for the department since 1967, will retire April 1, city officials said. Smith, 66, an Annapolis native, became a volunteer firefighter in 1966 and served one year before joining the paid fire service. Promoted through the ranks, he was named acting chief in 2005 and confirmed by the city council in 2007. During his 43-year-tenure, he worked with the city's Code Enforcement Division to write legislation on sprinklers and upgraded the emergency medical services. He also chaired the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Council, taught at the Anne Arundel County Fire Academy and worked as an assistant state fire marshal.

- Andrea F. Siegel