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+--- Thread: Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter (/showthread.php?tid=382)
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - Guest - 09-23-2015
A Portland Firefighter, Ethan Averitt Reed, retired last week, on Sept. 19, 2015.
"That's nice" you may say, but many U.S. firefighters retired last week.
"Yes", I say, but how many were active firefighters driving a busy, downtown engine company
for 50 years, 1 month and 11 days?
That must be a mis-print. Don't you mean 30 years?
No, 50 years - FIFTY YEARS.
Here are some photos of him at some recent fires.
At 05:30, 5-1/2 hours into his 50th year as a Portland firefighter, Ethan Reed
drove Engine 1 to a 3-alarm fire at the old Osborne Hotel at 205 SE Grand Ave.
![[Image: p1494798423-4.jpg]](http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s2/v58/p1494798423-4.jpg)
Ethan pulling hose in January, 2014.
![[Image: p1494798447-4.jpg]](http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s4/v64/p1494798447-4.jpg)
Running the pump on Engine 1 at a 2-alarm fire, 7-7-2009
![[Image: p1494798482-4.jpg]](http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v46/p1494798482-4.jpg)
Picking up hose at a 2-alarm fire, 9-10-2008
![[Image: p1494798497-4.jpg]](http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s9/v96/p1494798497-4.jpg)
"Selfie" at his retirement party 9-19-2015
![[Image: p1494798644-4.jpg]](http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s6/v144/p1494798644-4.jpg)
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - Guest - 09-23-2015
Dick can you elaborate more on his 50 years of service? That being said I wish him a long and happy retirement.
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Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - nozzleman - 09-23-2015
Dick I would love to hear more about this amazing firefighter. And like fdny1075 I wish him many years of retirement and a long happy retirement.
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - Guest - 09-23-2015
Quote:Dick can you elaborate more on his 50 years of service? That being said I wish him a long and happy retirement. Sent from my Z750C using Tapatalk
I looked in the oldest yearbook I have (2000) and he was on the same shift at the same station then - Sta. 1, C Shift.
What further info. are you looking for.? A list of all the fires he's worked at.?
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - Guest - 09-24-2015
No was just impressed with that long of a career. Thanks.
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Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - Dickey - 09-25-2015
Can we get a summary of his career? When he started, what age, what changes he saw in the dept....etc
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - Guest - 09-26-2015
Quote:Can we get a summary of his career? When he started, what age, what changes he saw in the dept....etcI hope to have all that in a couple of days.
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - SOlsonBFDL14 - 09-28-2015
I'm guessing that Portland doesn't have mandatory retirement? We're mandated to retire no later than the last day of the month in which we turn 65. Thus a career like Ethan's will never be possible in the BFD anymore. I believe the longest serving member we ever had was Captain David F Watkins, appointed October 22, 1920; promoted to Lieutenant on July 16, 1937; promoted to Captain on April 27, 1955 & retired as the Captain of Engine 39 on August 11, 1976 after nearly 56 years at the ripe old age of 82!
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - hank - 10-01-2015
Dick: Is the "selfie" your replacement?
tHANKs
Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter - Guest - 10-02-2015
Follow up on Ethan Reed.
He was born on May 16, 1941.
Appointed to the Portland Fire Bureau on Aug. 7, 1965.
He was at 3 different stations until Jan. 19, 1967 when he was assigned to Sta. 1.
He was on Engine 1 for the past 45 years, mostly as the Driver.