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Portland's Longest Serving Firefighter
#1
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]


Ethan pulling hose in January, 2014.
[Image: p1494798447-4.jpg]


Running the pump on Engine 1 at a 2-alarm fire, 7-7-2009
[Image: p1494798482-4.jpg]


Picking up hose at a 2-alarm fire, 9-10-2008
[Image: p1494798497-4.jpg]


"Selfie" at his retirement party 9-19-2015
[Image: p1494798644-4.jpg]

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#2
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

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#3
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.

Dave
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#4
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.?
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#5
No was just impressed with that long of a career. Thanks.

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#6
Can we get a summary of his career? When he started, what age, what changes he saw in the dept....etc

Jason Knecht
Fire Inspector
Township Fire Dept., Inc.
Eau Claire, WI
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#7
Quote:Can we get a summary of his career? When he started, what age, what changes he saw in the dept....etc
I hope to have all that in a couple of days.
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#8
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!

FF Sean 'Skip' Olson
Boston Fire, Ladder 14
In Memory:
FR David A. Middleton E51, LODD, Box 5247, 05/28/07
FR Paul J. Cahill E30 & FR Warren J. Payne L25, LODD, Box 4-281, 08/29/07
FLT Kevin Kelley L26, LODD, 01/09/09
FLT Edward J. Walsh E33 & FR Michael Kennedy L15, LODD, Box 9-1579, 03/26/14.
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#9
Dick:  Is the "selfie" your replacement?

 

tHANKs

tHANKs
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#10
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.

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