MILBRIDGE, Maine — Milbridge Volunteer Fire Department Chief Peter Sawyer was honored Saturday for 50 years of service as chief.
The 76-year-old said he joined the fire company in 1960 and became chief in 1965. But he is not done yet.
“This is not a retirement party,” said Assistant Chief Robert Stanley addressing a crowd of about 50 people. “This is simply a recognition of 50 years of service to the Milbridge Fire Department.”
Sawyer, who has four daughters, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, said he remembers missing family activities in the 1960s because he had to man the department phones.
“The whole fire service has changed considerably,” he said.
Federal training requirements have been added, and volunteer firefighters must get the same training as their paid counterparts.
“It makes sense,” he said. “We’re doing the same thing.”
In the 1960s, he had about 28 firefighters on his crew. Now, he has 12, plus two junior firefighters.
“Everybody’s lost [personnel] over the years due to people’s workload,” Sawyer said, adding that many firefighters work two or three jobs.
Mutual aid agreements with Steuben, Cherryfield and Harrington help Milbridge keep the community safe, he said.
Being chief is a tough job, said Joe Thomas, Maine’s state fire marshall and a retired fire chief.
He said most firefighters join their local fire companies because they want to make a difference. As chief, however, one’s time is spent dealing with regulations, budgets, paperwork and personnel, leaving little time for activities that brought them to the job.
Calling Sawyer’s tenure “an incredible accomplishment,” Thomas gave him a certificate of recognition.
Milbridge Town Manager Lewis Pinkham, unrolled a banner as he announced the fire station, known as the Milbridge Municipal Safety Complex, would be renamed the Peter S. Sawyer Safety Complex.
“The town of Milbridge is not only blessed, it’s grateful,” he said.
He called Sawyer a “remarkable leader,” adding, “You’re a terrific role model. You’ve shown us that a community really does matter.”
“Your influence has shaped all of us. It’s evident all around us, 50 years worth,” said Sawyer’s youngest daughter, Nichole Jamison. “I’m proud to call you Dad.”
It was Jamison who led the planning of the party — without her father knowing. She said he went on vacation in March, and “we pulled together into planning mode without him around.”
Sawyer found out about the party at a fire company meeting May 14 when one of his grandchildren gave him an invitation.
“He was pretty surprised,” said Stanley, who worked with Sawyer since joining the department in 1981.
“Today we just want him to know how much we appreciate his service to the Milbridge Fire Department. … Fifty years at anything is quite an accomplishment.”