Darren Delano stands in the Dresden fire station on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Delano was appointed as the town’s fire chief after almost 40 years as a volunteer firefighter. (Ali Juell photo)
After almost 40 years of fighting fires, Darren Delano is taking on a new responsibility as Dresden’s fire chief.
As he settles into the new role in his longtime department, Delano’s priorities are making his team as well as the Dresden community feel supported.
The Dresden Select Board unanimously voted to appoint Delano as fire chief at the board’s Sept. 23 meeting.
Delano succeeds Lawrence “Larry” Call, who served as fire chief starting in June 2023. Delano said Call decided to retire after reaching 40 years of fire service.
Select board member Jeffrey Bickford said there isn’t anybody who “knows our town and that cares about the fire department” as much as Delano does during the Sept. 23 meeting.
“I’m very honored that I was chosen for this,” Delano said. “I don’t take it lightly. I know it’s a massive responsibility, but I’m going to give it everything I got.”
Delano was born and raised in Wiscasset, where he started as a junior firefighter 39 years ago. Unlike many volunteer firefighters, he said no one in his family had ever fought fires.
“I just thought it was kind of cool,” he said.
He moved to Dresden and joined the town’s fire department in 2011.
In the past, Delano said he hadn’t aspired to become fire chief, but once the opportunity arose, he thought it was time to step up.
“I’ve been in the service for a long time, and I felt like (serving as chief) was the best way to serve my community,” he said.
In his first week as chief, Delano said he met with Dresden firefighters to hear their ideas for the department. To attract new members and maintain morale, he said it’s his priority to make every member of the team feel like their voice is heard.
“I want everyone who joins here to feel a sense of family,” he said. “That’s what makes a good, productive, cohesive team is the camaraderie.”
Among his goals is working with other Lincoln County fire chiefs to share meaningful training opportunities. He said he is already set to collaborate with the Wiscasset fire department and looks forward to meeting with other chiefs across Lincoln County.
Being embedded in the Dresden community is also a priority. Whether it’s an emergency or a less pressing problem, Delano said he wants community members to feel welcome to call or stop by the fire station at any time.
Delano said he feels energized by his team and he looks forward to putting his ideas for the department into action. At the end of the day, he said he hopes Dresden residents know the fire department will be there for them in moments of need.
“I took the oath and I don’t take that lightly,” he said. “The members that are here feel the same. They are very committed, and they’re great public servants … I’m proud of that and I’m proud of my crew.”
