RICHMOND — Without a permanent fire chief since February, the Richmond Fire Department is overseen by the town manager as department administrator and by three veteran department command staff officers at fire and rescue scenes.

The 16-member department, which also provides emergency medical services, has been without a permanent chief since Stephen Caswell resigned from the 20-hour-a-week position Feb. 19.

Patrick Drake, a full-time professional firefighter in Gardiner, was appointed acting chief by Town Manager Jim Chandler after Caswell’s departure. However, Drake stepped down a few weeks ago to focus on his full-time firefighting job and attend paramedic school. Chandler said Drake helped set the town’s fire department up for success while he filled the acting chief’s role.

In the meantime, the town advertised for the position. Chandler said two qualified applicants have put in for the job so far, and he anticipates a panel will interview those candidates soon. He hopes to have a new fire chief in place by Oct. 1. He said applications are still being accepted.

Chandler said rather than appoint another acting chief to fill in for a few more weeks until a permanent chief is hired, he opted to take on the role of acting fire chief, and take on the chief’s administrative duties himself, and have three command staff members of the department take command at fire and rescue scenes.

One or more of three current department officers — Matt Roberge and Dan Welch, both captains, and Lt. Donald Burr, will oversee operations at any fire calls. Two of those officers have previously been fire chiefs themselves, Roberge in Richmond, and Burr in Greenbush.

Chandler said any residents should feel assured that, should they have a fire at their home, a well-staffed, and well-led fire department will respond.

Chandler, who has a master’s degree in emergency management, said he doesn’t plan to go to fire scenes, unless there is an emergency management role for him to fill. But he will handle the administrative duties, such as payroll and record-keeping, that would normally be handled by the fire chief.

He said the interview process will get underway as soon as he puts together an interview panel. That panel will include himself, a current department officer or two, and chiefs from other surrounding departments.

Chandler also reached out to other area fire chiefs, including chiefs in Bowdoinham, Litchfield, and Gardiner, for advice on what the riverside town should look for in its next fire chief.

“I wanted their insights on what they think would be a good partner for them, we’re all coordinating and collaborating as much as possible,” Chandler said. “I wanted their input. They’re the experts.”

The advertisement for the chief’s job notes it pays $30 an hour and is budgeted for a minimum of 20 hours per week.

Those 20 hours will likely be spent doing administrative duties, including overseeing training. Those hours do not include responding to fire calls, which a chief would be paid for separately.

The ad notes the chief “serves as the department’s chief administrative and operational command officer and is responsible for emergency response readiness, training, personnel supervision, EMS licensing, budgeting, equipment, oversight, fire prevention, and mutual aid coordination.”

It also seeks someone with a minimum of five to seven years of progressive firefighting and EMS experience, including at least three years in a supervisory or command staff role, and someone with a current state EMT license or higher, and Maine firefighter I and II certifications.