Council Approves Salary Increase for Fire Chief During Emotional EMS Week Proclamation

Litchfield City Council Meeting | May 7, 2026

Fire Chief Adam Pennock receives a $10,000 raise. The Litchfield City Council approved a salary adjustment for the fire chief during a meeting where Mayor Jacob Fleming shared a personal story of how EMS staff saved his father’s life.

Fire Chief Salary Key Points:

• The council approved a resolution increasing Fire Chief Adam Pennock’s salary to $106,945.68.

• The pay raise is retroactive to May 1, 2026, and is funded via General Funds.

• Mayor Jacob Fleming designated May 17-23, 2026, as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week.

• Fleming emotionally recounted how Chief Pennock directly saved his father’s life years ago.

Coinciding with an emotional proclamation for Emergency Medical Services Week, the Litchfield City Council on Thursday, May 7, 2026, approved a salary increase for Fire Chief Adam Pennock.

Alderperson Marilyn Sisson introduced the resolution, which amends Pennock’s annual salary from $96,945.68 to $106,945.68 for the 2026/2027 fiscal year. The increase is retroactive to May 1, 2026, and will be drawn from the city’s general funds.

Before the vote, Mayor Jacob Fleming offered high praise for the chief, noting, “Adam does a great job for us… I think he’s worth every penny.”

The salary increase was approved unanimously following a poignant moment earlier in the meeting when Mayor Fleming read a proclamation designating May 17 through May 23, 2026, as EMS Week. Going off-script before reading the official document, Fleming highlighted the personal impact of Litchfield’s first responders.

“For me personally, the EMS here in town has saved several of my family members,” Fleming said, specifically addressing Alderperson Josh Hughes to note that Hughes’s father had also been saved by local EMS. “I want to give a huge shout-out to that EMS member. That is Chief Pennock. Chief Pennock saved my dad’s life many years ago, and we are so grateful. He’s going to be turning 80 this year, and he would have never made that [without Pennock].”

The proclamation recognized the thousands of hours of specialized training undertaken by paramedics, EMTs, and first responders to provide 24/7 life-saving care to the Litchfield community.