February 15, 2013
The Orr's and Bailey Islands Fire Department has a new chief for the first time in more than two decades.
Ed Blain of Bailey Island was elected to the fire chief's position by the department's board of directors. He replaces Bill Beazley, who retired after 22 years on the job.
Blain, 55, is a nine-year veteran of the department who served as deputy chief for the past year. He has also been the department's compliance officer, a responding firefighter, emergency medical technician and member of the department's board of directors.
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| Chief Ed Blain, left, and former Chief Bill Beazley |
"The fire department has afforded me the opportunity to meet far more neighbors who have now become friends than any other life experience I have had. It is such a wonderful organization with an equally wonderful mission that I am humbled to be a part of," Blain said. "That I am now given the opportunity to lead the department is quite remarkable. I hope I can do the job justice. That won't be easy given the great job Bill has done for the past 22 years."
Newly elected board President Mike Helfgott, also of Bailey Island, agreed with Blain.
"Ed is correct when he says Bill's shoes will be hard to fill. Bill’s leadership of the department was a period of tremendous growth and professionalism, and he always, always was welcoming to new members," Helfgott said. "Ed has a great track record of accomplishment both within and outside of the department. He will be an able successor to Bill."
Blain, a health care administrator and business owner who is now semi-retired, said he first encountered the volunteer fire department while donating some items to its annual auction shortly after moving to the area full time in 2004. He was quickly persuaded to volunteer and agreed to "do anything except go into a burning building or become an officer," he said.
Soon after, however, Blain was convinced to put his experience dealing with government regulations to work as the department compliance officer and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) administrator.
"I decided I better know something about how they worked and took an SCBA certification course. That was what really hooked me into the fire department and before I realized it I was on my way to becoming certified as an interior firefighter getting my Firefighter 2 certification in 2005. I was also an EMT Basic for six years from 2004 to 2010," Blain said.
Blain and his wife, Laurie, also a responding volunteer and former OBIFD board member, run a nonprofit organization which rescues dogs facing euthanasia at shelters in Louisiana and places them in new homes in Maine and other northeastern states.
Former Chief Beazley, who named Blain deputy chief last year and trained him for the new role, said Blain is ideal for the job and should help inject new energy into the department.
"Ed is a great leader with lots of energy and good ideas," Beazley said. "He is the ideal person to move the department forward."
Blain said he is honored to be replacing Beazley and hopes to bring the same qualities of leadership and confidence his predecessor inspired in the department's volunteers.
"Stepping into the job he has excelled in for the past 22 years won't be easy," Blain said. "Fortunately, true to his nature, Bill has offered his support and help to me in any way I request it. That makes the prospect of assuming the chief role a lot less intimidating and will help the department in the transition."
Blain said recruiting new members for all-volunteer fire and rescue service will be among his top priorities.
"Responding to a fire or rescue call requires several people," Blain said. "Rescue calls need a driver and two EMTs, but can often require more help for lifting assistance or carrying someone from the shore or through tight quarters in their homes. Working fires need dozens of people and there are roles that just about anyone in any kind of shape can help fill. Drivers, moving supplies, directing traffic or getting food for the firefighters are just a few of the many important roles that need to be filled.
"Of course becoming a firefighter or EMT is the greatest resource to the department and community," he said. "Training is provided by the department and fully supported by all responding members who can mentor new members developing their skills."
Blain said he believes the department is at a "critical point" in struggling to attract new volunteers.
"Our biggest challenge as a department and as a community will be to keep the organization alive through volunteerism," he said. "We have great equipment through the strong support of the community. We have every tangible resource available, with equipment that is state of the art. The resource we lack are people trained to use the trucks and all the gear that they carry.
"I hope we can recruit new members so that we can continue this colonial and patriotic tradition of protecting each others’ homes, properties and lives," he said.
OBIFD provides fire and medical rescue services for Orr's and Bailey Islands and portions of Great Island east of the Mountain Road bridge and south of the Nazarene Church on Route 24.
For more information about OBIFD and volunteering, visit the department's web site at www.obifd.org or call Blain at 833-5199.
