WINDHAM – Charlie Hammond, Windham’s longtime fire chief, is Maine’s Fire Chief of the Year.
Hammond, who has been at the helm since the mid-1980s, is set to retire in January. On Oct. 1, the Maine Fire Chiefs’ Association named him fire chief of the year at its annual gathering in Augusta.
According to Brunswick Fire Chief Ken Brillant, who is the president of the association, the nominating committee that selected Hammond for the honor was impressed by his decades of involvement in the community.
“They’re basing it on his long history in the fire service and his accomplishments as a fire chief and dedication to the town,” Brillant said.
Town Manager Tony Plante nominated Hammond for the award. In a Sept. 2 nomination letter to the association, Plante lauded Hammond’s decades of humble service to the town.
“Charlie is not about racking up accolades for himself,” Plante wrote. “He is, and has been, all about the community and the department for longer than many people can remember. In a time when models of selfless service seem harder to find, we need to take every opportunity we can to celebrate them.”
During his early years as chief, Hammond continued to work as a teacher and principal at the Little Falls School in Gorham. He was appointed as Windham’s first full-time fire chief in 1992.
In his recommendation letter, Plante noted that Hammond oversaw the department’s integration with the rescue company, as well as the addition of full-time paramedic firefighters. Plante also applauded Hammond’s work with the Southern Maine Fire Attack School, and his longtime service as chairman of the Windham safety committee.
Hammond described the award as a “very distinguished honor.” He said he was proud of his involvement in the increasing level of cooperation among fire and rescue departments in recent decades.
“I think one of the biggest things is our regional cooperation with other communities in providing fire and rescue trainings, hazardous materials trainings and operations,” Hammond said. “We are more than willing to share our resources with other communities on a regional basis.”
According to Plante, Hammond’s decades of training emergency responders has paid off.
“We frequently receive letters from people in the community expressing gratitude for the way our responders conduct themselves and treated them with professionalism and compassion in difficult situations,” Plante wrote. “These are traits instilled by Chief Hammond.”
Windham Fire Chief Charlie Hammond and Town Councilor David Nadeau celebrate the Maine Fire Chiefs’ Association’s decision to name Hammond Maine’s Fire Chief of the Year. Send questions/comments to the editors.
