History of The Farmington Fire Department 1850 - 2000: A Volunteer Fire Department

The most complete history ever written of the volunteer fire department in Farmington, Maine from 1850 - 2000 as taken from Robert McCleery's, (former Farmington Fire Department Chief for 23 years with over 40 years of service to the department), notes, articles and pictures. It has been compiled, edited and updated by his daughter who completed the book after her much beloved father's passing from mesothelioma. It's a Labor of Family Love with 332 pages of photos, narrative, annual reports, and more. It's a book written by one who "talked the talk, and walked the walk" who was revered by his fire department and and recognized as a leader by his peers.

Chief McCleery's accomplisments are many, but he was a humble man who viewed his job as one of trying to make the department the best he could with much credit given to the many dedicated and devoted firemen who served over it's storied history. Chief McCleery's legacy is one of of service to a department, region and state he loved. He encouraged his firemen to get training and try new approaches. His saying was: "Go ahead and try it boys, and we'll make it work." 

This book tells the story of the life of a fire fighter and it's so much more than fighting fires. It's to witness life's best when working with children and citizens to make the town safer, rescuing a hiker on a mountain, or finding a missing person. It's to witness life's worst when you cannot save a child or older person from a burning building, a family pet, livestock, home or property, or when as a first responder you respond to a fatal accident or murder or suicide scene. Much is demanded of fire fighters, and no one except another fire fighter, or family of a fire fighter can appreciate what it means to be a fire fighter. It requires a commitment to take time away from family, work, and other situations to serve others, and a dedication that cannot be measured in dollars, but knowing that one has given of him or herself to assist their community and fellow citizens or neighbors. Becoming a member of a fire department means your life will never be the same. Fire fighters know people personally and have knowledge of locations where emergencies occur, and they carry the fire and rescue incidents with them in their lives.

This book talks about fire fighting in a town with a population 7,600 and a college population that increases that number by an additional third. The fire department is comprised mostly of volunteers today, but when my father wrote this book it was an all volunteer department with an on-call chief. This book resonates with volunteer fire departments across this country with over 70% of fire departments comprised of some, or all, volunteers; Maine's fire departments are over 90% volunteer. These volunteer department are aging with the vast majority of their membership over 50 years of age as fewer young people want or are able to make the commitment required to join a fire department. Whether you are a volunteer fire department in a town of 300 or a town with a population over 50,000 with a full-time force, the same training mandates and hours exist for both. It's a challenge. Volunteer fire departments have to beg for money for training, apparatus and other needs. When did anyone last see a police department conduct a bake sale for equipment? Change will require a new paradigm as fire departments are asked to do more to protect and serve their communities. I hope this book will be a catalyst for townspeople of small and medium-sized towns to recognize the diverse and many faceted needs of today's firemen, and will result in more adequate funding of fire departments as we ask them to do more to protect and serve us.

This book is a history, a memoir, a biography, and a labor of love.

Fire Chief for 23 Years. 40+ years as member of the Farmington Fire Department. Capstone of Career: 1998 Maine Fire Chief of the Year - 1st Volunteer Chief to be so named. During Chief McCleery's leadership many innovations and changes occurred within the department and state as a result of his dedication to training and efficiency. He insisted on a well-trained force. Upon his retirement in 2000, he had 19 Fire Fighter II, 6 Fire Fighter I, 5 Certified Instructors I, 3 EMT, 1 EMT Intermediate and 1 Paramedic. Overview of Chief McCleery's career: 1974 Fire Department Secretary 1975 Asst. Chief of Administration and Finance 1976 VP Franklin County Firemen's Assn. 1977 Elected Chief 1978 Developed "live" fire training and major disaster training for regional fire fighters. 1979 Brought Captain No Burn or Learn Not to Burn to local schools and public sector. 1980 President of Franklin County Firemen's Assn. 1980 Established Mutual Aid program for local area towns with written agreements. 1980 Offered Fire Fighter I & II Training in Farmington for area fire fighters. 1980 Developed training on the use of SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus), and his fire department was one of the first departments to acquire the Cascade refueling air system which was shared with neighboring towns. 1981 Organized the first Fire Attack School for the region which ran till 1988 when towns began providing their own. 1983 Member of State Training & Education Committee setting firefighter training in Maine. 1983 Hosted a Pilot Program to train local fire personnel in Instructor Level 1 Training to become certified fire instructors. 1984 Elected President of Maine Fire Chief's Assn. - 1st Volunteer Chief to be so named and served 13 years on the Board of Directors of State Fire Fighters Assn. 1984 Obtained the H.K. Porter Extrication Tool and developed training on its use. 1985 Hired first female fire fighter in the department who was EMT and Fire Fighter I certified. 1986 Developed training program for Draft Relay Pumping, CPR, Car Fire Suppression, Ground and Aerial Ladders, Job Safety, Class A & B Live Burns, and Fire Ground Survival. 1986 Member of the State Fire Marshal's Board for selecting candidates for fire investigations in state. 1991 Created a Hazardous Materials Team with participation from town, International Paper Company and Mutual Aid fire departments. 1995 Established regional Search and Rescue Unit for cold water rescue, swift water rescue, ice rescue, high and low angle rescue, orienteering rescue, snowmobile rescue and numerous other critical skills. 1990's Fire Department received numerous and consecutive Life Safety Achievement Awards from the Residential Fire Safety Institute for public safety, fire prevention and public education. 1997 Obtained the Hurst Jaws of Life for the department. 1998 Named Maine Fire Chief of the Year - 1st Volunteer Chief to be so named. 1977 to 2000 Member of the New England and International Associations of Fire Chiefs. 2000 Retired and Fire Department hired its 1st Full-Time Chief. 2002 Chief Robert L. McCleery passed away from mesothelioma. Chief McCleery's extraordinary leadership brought credit to his department, region, state and profession. He lead by example and dedicated endless hours to the enhancement and enrichment of fire fighter careers in his department and throughout the state. Chief McCleery was revered by his department and recognized as a leader by his peers. Chief McCleery passed away on July 22, 2002 from mesothelioma at the age of 80 years. In 2017 and 2018, his daughter was finally in a position to compile his notes, articles and pictures and published the book Chief McCleery had researched and written over the many years he was chief.

Master of Business Administration, Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJ B.A. Sociology, Hollins University, VA Sales, Marketing, Advertising and Promotion with Fortune 500 Companies Entrepreneur Realtor Cape Elizabeth ME Town Councilor and Maine State Senate Candidate Wife and Mother of 4 sons Parent Association Volunteer Lived in 12 states Avid Reader