Cundy's Harbor Fire and Rescue Chief Benjamin A. Wallace Jr. has also been named chief of the Orr's and Bailey Islands Fire Department.
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| Chief Benjamin A. Wallace Jr. |
The OBIFD Board of Directors appointed Wallace to fill the position which had been vacant for several months since Chief WalterJohnson stepped down for health reasons.
Board President Michael Helfgott said former longtime Chief William Beazley filled the role on a temporary basis, but could not continue long term. With no qualified OBIFD personnel able to take on the job permanently, Wallace emerged as a natural choice.
"OBI and Cundy's Harbor have developed a particularly close working relationship in recent years," Helfgott said. "The people of Harpswell have been well served as each of its departments have adopted strategies to become more interoperable. We have begun to standardize our equipment, supplies and procedures. Ben has been a leader in this effort since it began.
"Ben is the consummate professional firefighter," Helfgott said. "And as the chair of the town's Fire and Rescue Committee, he is leading the discussion of how the three departments can continue their movement to increasingly work well together and determine the future of fire and rescue service in Harpswell."
Wallace, 41, has worked in the fire service for most of his life, joining the Cundy's Harbor department as a junior firefighter at age 16. He rose to the rank of assistant chief, then became chief about a decade ago when he was appointed before even agreeing to take the job.
A fourth generation Cundy's Harbor native from a long line of fishermen, Wallace instead chose firefighting as a career, joining the Portland Fire Department in 1997. He is now a Fire Lieutenant assigned to Peaks Island. He earlier spent seven years in Fire Prevention, reviewing building permits and inspecting buildings, and has worked on engine and ladder companies and is qualified as fireboat pilot and engineer.
He and his wife, Francine, have been married for 20 years and are the parents of an adopted son, Luke, who turns 11 in June.
Wallace said he is confident that sharing a chief will prove to be a benefit for both departments.
"The Cundy's Harbor and Orr's and Bailey Island fire and rescue companies live and succeed together," he said. "The time is right for closer cooperation than ever before, and one step in that direction is the appointment of one chief."
Wallace said Orr's and Bailey Islands has a small group of dedicated volunteers who work well together and provide quality emergency services. In addition to Wallace, OBIFD officers include new Assistant Chief Jim Whittaker, Rescue Captain Cathy Piffath, and Captain and Compliance Officer Steve Minkowsky.
Despite the addition of some new recruits, Wallace said staffing remains critically low and his priorities include recruitment of new volunteers and increased training for both new personnel and the next generation of department leaders.
Cundy's Harbor has a larger and more experienced staff of first responders, including a full slate of officers, yet both departments, along with the Harpswell Neck department, are in need for new recruits to help keep volunteer fire and rescue services viable in the community. The departments provide a variety of volunteer opportunities, ranging from full firefighters and emergency medical technicians to less intensive roles as drivers or support staff.
The Cundy's Harbor Volunteer Fire Department serves all of Great Island from the Brunswick line to Stevens Corner Road on Route 24. OBIFD serves Orr's, Bailey and part of Great Island south of Stevens Corner road and east of the Ewing Narrows bridge on Mountain Road. Harpswell Neck Fire and Rescue serves all areas off of Route 123, including Mountain Road west of the Ewing Narrows bridge.
More information about the three departments, including how to join as a volunteer, is available at www.harpswellfireandrescue.org.