Loss is tough. It seems that our community, especially the emergency and fire communities of Lincoln County have been hit with a lot of it recently. This week, we are mourning the loss of another one.
Chief Donald “Donnie” Leeman, of Bremen, was a great firefighter, proud dad and loving husband, a hard worker, and a good friend. Our community and firefighting service lost a wonderful ally when he passed away this weekend.
Unfortunately, we have lost many other emergency responders over the past few years. We lost Newcastle Fire Chief Clayton Huntley in 2021, Jefferson Fire Chief Bob Walker in 2008 and Waldoboro Fire Chief Robert Maxcy in 2006. Chief Leeman makes at least the fourth fire chief in Lincoln County to pass away while holding the position in the past 17 years.
This untimely and devastating event has brought a lot of emotions up for this writer, and have brought with it memories of some of the other emergency responders we have lost recently.
There are active fire officers who have passed away in recent years, such as Assistant Chief Mike “Newman” Santos, of the Newcastle Fire Department, who passed away in 2015. Another officer, Lt. David Mason, of the Whitefield Fire Department, also passed away in 2015. Peter Rines, who served as interim fire chief in Wiscasset and was integral to fire education in Maine passed away in 2021. This year, Nobleboro lost its deputy chief. Edgecomb also lost a seasonal resident and officer with Steve Fenton in 2020. Boothbay lost Jack Berry in 2020 who had been an assistant fire chief.
We have also lost some other “retired” firefighting officers who were larger than life for their departments in recent years. Donald Hastings, of Jefferson, was instrumental in fire training in Lincoln County before he ever moved here, helping bring firefighters from Maine to New York to participate at Rockland County’s training facility. He passed away in 2019.
Capt. Jack Brackett served over 65 years on Bristol Fire & Rescue and was honored with the Chief Bob Maxcy Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lincoln County Fire Chiefs’ Association. He passed away in 2020.
Other prominent emergency workers lost recently include Lincoln County Communication Center dispatchers and supervisors Kathy Blagdon and Mark Creamer. Kathy passed away in 2019 and Mark in 2021.
While this is a long list, it does not include everyone. There are countless others who have passed on, even recently, who served some time on their local fire departments. We wish there was more time, and space to accurately capture them all here, but the message would be the same.
Community service has been a key ingredient to Lincoln County’s success for generations. It is because of all of those who are serving our emergency and armed services that we are able to enjoy our lives here with safety. It does not matter whether they are in the past, present, or those who will come in the future.
This list of extraordinary people represents some of the best members of our community, whom we have lost, but must not forget. They worked hard to make Lincoln County a better and safer place to live.
There are many emotions that come from the loss of loved ones. As first responders, it is our duty and responsibility to carry on and follow in their footsteps. They would expect nothing less of us, it is how we must honor their life’s work. But with that comes a challenge to those not already engaged in emergency service.
Who is willing to come forward now and fill the large boots left by our fallen emergency services members?
Our community needs you. Please help us answer the call.
(John Roberts is the Damariscotta fire chief.)
