Time and Tide
A Maine Maritime Academy education
is more than just a degree...
TIES THAT BIND
& ASSIST
By Mark Coté '83, PE, EMT-B
Since its founding in 1941, Maine Maritime
Academy has had a significant impact on the town
of Castine and its residents. One area where there
is a positive and synergistic relationship with the
town is in the operation of the Castine Fire Rescue
Department.
The Castine Fire Department (CFD) was estab-
lished in 1796 as the primary emergency services
agency for Castine. CFD added emergency medical
response services to its mission and updated its
name when the Bagaduce Ambulance Corps dis-
banded in 2011.
Castine Fire Rescue Department (CFRD)
remains an all-volunteer service and has approxi-
mately 40 active members. During the first 40 years
of MMA's existence, there were few ties between
CFD and MMA. However, in the 1980s, the fire
department opened up its membership to MMA
students and, since then, students have been active
members in the department. This was a natural area
for col aboration in that almost al MMA students
underwent some type of fire training in their aca-
L-to-R:Joseph Andrew Sheehan Tartre '15, Lance Burton '90, & Charles Salerno '15
demic programs.
The relationship has grown to the point that MMA students now make up about 30% of the department and have helped the department continue its services.
"MMA students are a key part of our membership. They provide a lot of energy and talent for the department and we miss their contributions when they are on
break and during the summer," said CFRD Chief Randy Stearns. Students from al majors participate and many students have gained certifications in firefighting
or emergency medical services to complement their MMA educations. MMA students also can be members of the Castine Volunteer Firefighter's Association,
established in 1999 as an auxiliary, non-profit organization, and serve in various leadership capacities for CVFA, including as elected officers.
Some alumni have used their CFRD experience to complement their professional careers both at sea and ashore. Myles Block '06, now a firefighter/paramedic
for the Town of Hampden, Maine, and an emergency services instructor in eastern Maine, leveraged his CFRD experience when he chose a full-time career.
As he said, "I had a strong interest in community service and, when I came to MMA, I wanted Castine to be my new community. I had a number of member
and leadership roles in the department, ending as a lieutenant. The leadership opportunities I received at CFRD, in conjunction with my regimental leadership
training at MMA, gave me multiple occasions to serve Castine and to improve my skil s."
You will make an immediate impact on our more than 900 students when
Lance Burton '90, '13, assistant professor of engineering, has been active in the CFRD, both as a student and as a current resident of Castine. He volunteered
you make a gift to the Annual Fund before June 30.
as a basic firefighter after completing his MMA-required fire training and then, when he moved back to Castine, rejoined the department and assumed a lead-
ership role, including as a trainer for the emergency vehicle operations course. Based on his time both as a student and a Castine resident, he emphasized the
value of the MMA/CFRD relationship: "Our reliance on the MMA students is very real and continues to grow each year as the age of the permanent townsfolk
Mail your gift in the enclosed envelope, or make your gift online at :
who volunteer increases and as a result of inheriting the EMS service. CFRD is proof that great synergy can be achieved when the common good and building a
www.mma.edu
community are sought-after goals." A number of current and former MMA faculty and staff are or have been active members such as President William Brennan
and Career Services Interim Assistant Lisa Burton.
As CFRD and MMA move forward, the links between resident firefighters, MMA students, and MMA faculty and staff who serve, continue to grow and en-
hance this vital service provided to Castine and the school. It is a true "win-win" scenario, with al participants benefitting from the experience, thus strengthen-
ing the relationship.
It is a path
to lifelong success
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