LONDONDERRY | Kevin MacCaffrie has a strange definition of retirement.

Once he officially steps down from his position as fire chief in Bedford, Mass., later this month, MacCaffrie will take the reins of the Londonderry Fire Department. He will take over from Michael Carrier on Jan. 21. Town Manager Dave Caron announced his appointment on Dec. 21.

MacCaffrie began his 41-year career as a call firefighter in Norton, Mass., at the age of 16. After working on call for 10 years and 25 years full time in Norton, MacCaffrie served as chief in Bedford for seven years.

MacCaffrie, 57, and his wife, Mary, have two grown children, Randy and Kelly, and three grandchildren. MacCaffrie said the family has a vacation home in Bristol and enjoys skiing in the Granite State.

"I've been through Londonderry many times and am looking forward to working there," MacCaffrie said by phone Wednesday. "I wanted to move north after retiring from Bedford."

MacCaffrie said although he is retiring from the Bedford station, he will be working a full-time schedule in Londonderry, where he will double his spending budget as chief of Londonderry. In Bedford he worked with a $2.2 million budget that included 27 full-time firefighters and 10 call firefighters.

Londonderry has close to 40 firefighters and a $4.5 million operating budget.

"I thought about what I would like to do at the end of my career, and I wanted to be productive and keep in touch with the things I know," MacCaffrie said. "I've been a paramedic for 25 years, and I wanted to go to a town like Londonderry that has paramedics in its department."

While under MacCaffrie's leadership the Bedford Fire Department began an elder watch program, upgraded the radio system and dispatch system and replaced all of its major equipment.

"We received three grants for items such as protective equipment," MacCaffrie said. "We also upgraded our fire insurance rating from five to four, with the lower the number the better."

Among his responsibilities was the development of Mutual Aid Compacts with surrounding communities and Hanscom Airfield, which is located in Bedford. He was also involved with plan review and emergency preplanning of major commercial and industrial developments, and assisted in the development of a Unified Response Manual for Roadway Traffic Accidents.

MacCaffrie is a certified paramedic instructor, FAA certified pilot and certified SCUBA diver. He was also involved with plan review and emergency pre-planning of major commercial and industrial developments in Bedford.

He sees challenges in his new position with Londonderry's growth potential, the widening of Interstate 93 and the developing area around the Boston-Manchester Regional Airport.

MacCaffrie was selected from 34 applicants screened earlier this fall. He will receive a base salray of $95,000 plus benefits and is busy looking for a place to live in or near Londonderry.

"Londonderry is a good match for me," he said.