Allen Spinney stands in the South Bristol town office during the Thursday, Feb. 13 select board meeting during which he was appointed as the towns new fire chief. Spinney was elected as the fire chief on Tuesday, Feb. 11 by the fire department’s members during their annual meeting. (Johnathan Riley photo)
Allen Spinney is South Bristol’s newest fire chief after being appointed by the town’s select board on Thursday, Feb. 13.
Spinney, a member of the South Bristol Fire Department for five years, was elected to the position during the fire department’s annual meeting on Feb. 11.
“It’s good, you’re both excited and nervous at the same time,” he said in a phone interview after his appointment by the select board. “There’s a whole new aspect of learning a new thing … I’m excited about it … I just want to see things moving in the right direction.”
Every year, the South Bristol Fire Department has an annual election of officers during which members of the department are elected to the positions of chief, assistant chief, and training officer, according to Spinney.
The firefighter who is elected as chief is then considered the acting fire chief until the town’s select board members appoint them to the position of fire chief, according South Bristol Administrative Assistant Margy Moremen.
Spinney takes over for Mark Carrothers, who has been with the South Bristol Fire Department on and off since 1993.
Carrothers served as the chief twice; from 2006-2008 before he stepped down to take a job overseas building yachts in the United Arab Emirates and from 2012 until this year’s vote on Feb. 11.
After the results of the election, Carrothers said he retired from the department “completely” and will focus on his work as a quality insurance engineer at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath.
While Spinney started with South Bristol Fire Department about five years ago, his firefighting service began in 2007 during a storm on Patriots Day with Bristol Fire and Rescue.
Spinney and a friend went over to the Bristol Mills fire station during the weather event and offered to help. Former Bristol Fire Chief Ron Pendleton had the boys direct traffic.
“We decided to see if they need any help and it was an awakening for sure,” he said. “The first thing we did was we were put on a road closure detail and we stood there for what felt like days while we had 70 mph winds … until the National Guard took over for us.”
For the next 15 years, Spinney said he worked with Bristol Fire and Rescue. In 2019 he started volunteering with the South Bristol Fire Department after beginning work at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center in Walpole as the facilities manager because he was close by and wanted to help.
South Bristol Select Board members Adam Rice (left), Robert Clifford (center), and Bruce Farrin Jr. raise their hands in favor of appointing Allen Spinney as the towns new fire chief during a meeting Thursday, Feb. 13. Spinney takes over for Mark Carrothers who has been with the department off and on since 1993 and chief since 2012. (Johnathan Riley photo)
By 2022, had worked his way up to the assistant chief position at South Bristol and stopped volunteering in Bristol to consolidate his efforts.
Spinney is eager to take on the role of chief and said his goals include increasing volunteer retention, recruitment, and replacing equipment and vehicles as needed.
“I’d just really like to see everyone active,” Spinney said. “Trying to encourage participation by everyone and see if we can get new members.”
The department has between 15-18 active volunteers, Spinney said.
Spinney currently lives in Bristol Mills, where he grew up, with his wife and son.
“I’ve always loved the area never want to venture out of it,” he said.
“Being able to find a full time job is the key to being able to stay (in the area) and being able to do this volunteer work as my passion is the icing on the cake.”
According to Moreman, the only positions within the town where residency is required are as a select board member or a school committee member.
South Bristol Select Board member Adam Rice said the board feels good about the new chief.
“That was what was presented to us and we feel positive about the appointment,” he said.
At the annual South Bristol Fire Department election of officers, John Seiders was appointed as assistant fire chief, Bill Fern was elected as emergency management services coordinator, Norman Wright as the safety officer, and Theresa “Terry” Mitchell was elected as clerk and secretary. All were reelections with the exception of Spinney.
The next scheduled South Bristol Select Board’s meeting is for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the town office.
