Fire Chief Stepping Down
DOVER-FOXCROFT — A local fire chief has decided to step down from his position to make way for the next generation.
After 38 years serving as the fire chief for Dover-Foxcroft, Joe Guyotte is steeping down.
“It’s been a good run. It has. It’s been rewarding,” says Guyotte.
Guyotte says he made the decision because he felt it’s just time to pass on the torch.
After building his decades-long legacy, he says it’s time for a new one to start.
When asked why kept him in the station so long he responded with,
“The love of it. The love of the fire service. It’s, y’know, not only in dover but statewide, nationally and the whole works. I’ve made some darn good friends”.
With over fifty years of service, Guyotte says he’s experienced a lot of success and challenges but one of the things he says he’s most proud of is the Fire Department Museum that he helped establish.
The museum is filled with the equipment, pictures and memorabilia of past firefighters, not just from Dover-Foxcroft, but from all over the state.
Guyotte now hopes to have more time dedicated to the museum — opening it more often for the public.
To be clear though, the eighty one year old firefighter says that just because he’s stepping down from his position it doesn’t mean he plans retiring any time soon.
As he puts it, he’s just trading in his white helmet for a black one.
Guyotte says, “Y’know, people on the street stop me and say, “Hey you’re retiring. How come? What are you going to do? Y’know?” I’m not going anywhere! I’m right here in the department and I’m going to stay in the department until.. Maybe they push dirt in my face or whatever it is but this is my life. I can’t just walk away from it”.
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