Platoon Chief Scott Preece's retirement marked a moment in history for Sarnia Fire Rescue Services.
Platoon Chief Scott Preece’s retirement marked a moment in history for Sarnia Fire Rescue Services.
Preece, who served for about 35 years, was the last former Town of Clearwater professional firefighter still active with the city service until he officially signed off following his final shift Thursday.
Clearwater’s full-time firefighters joined the city service after the town, previously known as Sarnia Township, and Sarnia amalgamated in 1991.
“I was the last (full-time) guy hired in Clearwater in (June) 1989,” Preece said at a celebration held at the fire hall on East Street to mark his last shift.
The Clearwater fire service included full-time firefighters and volunteers.
The town had two fire stations and amalgamation created a larger city service with five stations, “more manpower, more help with everything, which was a big plus,” Preece said. “Over the years we’ve got more guys hired, more people on the trucks, which made everybody a lot more safe.”
Preece, a platoon chief for the last two years, said he felt good about his career and retirement.
“It has been nothing but fulfilling to work for Sarnia fire,” he said.
It’s like being part of a tight-knit family, Preece said.
Matt Madere, with the Sarnia Professional Firefighters Association, said Preece was a leader who showed “you don’t have to be loud to be strong,” who also “nailed” the balance between work and home life “the best of everyone I’ve seen so far.”
Deputy Chief Ken Dwinnell also congratulated Preece, who he said is “well respected by everybody.”
Preece was a “very confident calming presence” at the firehall and fire scenes, said firefighter Matt Brown. “Scott’s always calm, collected and in control.”
“Thanks for being such a great leader, but more so, for showing confidence in all of us,” Brown said. “By doing this, you’ve made us all better firefighters.”
“We like to think we were taking care of you, but in reality it was always you taking care of us,” Brown said. “You’re going to be missed more than you know.”
“The spotlight does not belong to me,” Preece said while thanking whose who attended his send off, and all those he served with.
“It belongs to the men and women on C platoon, and the men and women on the other platoons who jump on the truck every day, have no clue what they’re going to, and risk their lives,” he said.
Preece said his retirement plans include spending more time with his family and playing lots of golf.