John Gilboy was appointed Old Orchard Beach Fire Chief on Feb. 21 – the department where he started as a part time EMT 30 years ago and became a fulltime firefighter/paramedic four years later. Tammy Wells Photo

OLD ORCHARD BEACH — About 42 minutes into the Feb. 21 Old Orchard Beach Town Council meeting, Town Manager Diana Asanza began speaking about John Gilboy, who was up for confirmation as the seaside town’s new fire chief and emergency management director.

“John Gilboy was appointed Interim Fire Chief Nov. 15 and over the last three months, he’s stepped into this role and has done a great job,” said Asanza. “I have full confidence in John’s leadership, and I’ve seen it over the last three months… I look forward to our continued partnership and I am very impressed with his dedication, his commitment and his leadership in his department and as emergency management director, bringing all departments together during emergency events.”

There were loud cheers and a standing ovation.

“A kinder, nicer person you could not meet,” said Town Councilor V. Louise Reid.

The council vote was unanimous, and then Gilboy, 61, took the oath of office from Town Clerk Kim McLaughlin.

His career in public service began in 1992 when Gilboy began working as a part-time emergency medical technician for Old Orchard Beach. After further training he was hired full-time by the department in 1996 as a firefighter/paramedic and rose through the ranks to deputy chief, interim chief, and now, chief.

How he first got involved in the calling that would become his life’s work might well be construed as “meant to be.”

Gilboy moved to Maine from Massachusetts in 1983 and began working in the auto body industry. By 1992, he and his wife Venus lived in Biddeford. The home had a backyard pool, they had small children – they have a son and a daughter – so they thought it might be a good idea to take a CPR class being offered at the time by the University of New England.

The course, as it turned out, was not CPR. Instructors were teaching people the basic emergency medical technician program.

Gilboy was all in. He still is.

These days, the Old Orchard Beach Fire Department employs 16 full time firefighter/paramedics and has just one vacancy. As well, like other area fire and rescue agencies, the department employs per diem personnel, about 12−15 per week, filling shifts from a roster of about 20 people. There are 10−15 call company firefighters, and five or six fire police.

Gilboy was named interim chief at the departure of former chief Fred Lamontagne, who left to enter the private sector.

“I enjoy the job, being able to help people,” said Gilboy in an interview at his office on Friday, Feb. 24. He said he and his fellow employees have a common goal: “to help people on their worst day.”

The department emphasizes regular training and continuing education.

Currently, three per diem personnel and one call company member are enrolled in firefighter 1 and 2 programs, Gilboy noted.

He said the department is fortunate that the town council, town manager and Old Orchard Beach citizens “are behind us and support us.”

Gilboy said the department faces a trio of challenges  these days –  finding people to enter public safety as a career, employee retention, and continued equipment supply chain issues.

“We’re always planning and improving our monthly training,” he said. Lately, the department has been focusing on cardiac arrest and use of the Lucas device, which may be used for CPR after paramedics have first stepped in to perform the life saving measure. He said most people do not realize how difficult performing chest compressions can be, and the mechanical device can help.

The department handles just short of 2,000 EMS calls and 400-500 fire-related calls annually, Gilboy estimated. The seaside community has about 9,000 year-round residents – a figure which can swell to 10 times that number in the summer.

Old Orchard Beach’s newest fire chief presents a calm manner and an easy smile. Asked about that, he said he learned early on that loud voices don’t work.

He said his goal as chief is to make the Old Orchard Beach fire and rescue service better.

“Increase education, pass on what I’ve seen to a new generation, retain good people,” said Gilboy. “Training is key.”

And there is one other thing.

“I love the job,” Gilboy said with a smile, as he prepared for a meeting with the finance director – like most municipalities, Old Orchard Beach is amid budget preparations for the next fiscal year.