Dover fire Capt. Troy Brown grateful retires after 33 years: 'I couldn’t be more proud'

DOVER — A crowd filled the bays of the city's North End Fire Station Saturday afternoon, all there to wish Dover fire Capt. Troy Brown well on his last shift.

Brown retired Sept. 30 after 29 years with the Dover Fire Department, and a total of 33 years in the fire service.

After a traditional ride around the city on a fire truck, Brown arrived at the reception, thankful to see the hundreds of people who came to honor him.

“I am just so grateful,” Brown said. “These are my family, my neighbors, my personal friends and my co-workers, all parts of my life. It’s been great to see.”

After working for four years with the Somersworth Fire Department, Brown joined the Dover Fire Department on Nov. 29, 1998.

Family tradition for Troy Brown

In keeping with that last-shift tradition, fellow firefighter Jeff Huddick drove Brown and his father around Dover in the city’s newest fire engine and delivered him to the reception in his honor. It was the first time in a long time his dad had ridden in a fire truck, Brown said. Fire service runs in Brown’s family. His grandfather was a deputy chief in Somersworth and his father was a call man for the Somersworth Fire Department for 29 years.

“Without that influence, I wouldn’t be here,” Brown said.

In a ceremony, he was presented with an American flag that flew over the North End Station in August. The Seacoast Technical Assistance Response Team, of which Brown was a member, recognized him with a plaque for his service to the team since 2001. He was presented with the hook Brown said he “carried into every fire I’ve fought” mounted to be displayed in his home. It’s the only thing he said he wanted as a retirement gift, his fellow firefighters said.

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“Troy’s been a pretty big influence, integral to the department. He’s well known for his passion for the job, and his overall knowledge of fire service,” said Cody Nason, one of those fellow firefighters and paramedic in the Dover Fire Department. “He’s going to be missed. It’s hard to replace someone like Troy. The Seacoast was always a safer place during his shift.”

Retired firefighters presented him with a wooden bar for his home that they made themselves from felling a local tree to doing the woodworking, welding and finishing.

The first truck Brown worked on when he came to Dover was parked just outside the station bay where he was feted. Nicknamed “Old Mack,” the 1984 Mack 1250 pumper is owned and was restored by Jack Burridge, a retired firefighter who served the Eliot Fire Department for 64 years, retiring just this past January. Members of many local fire departments were in attendance at the reception honoring Brown.

Troy Brown thanked for being a positive presence

“Troy has been just a solid firefighter and a solid fire officer. He’s taught me so much, and he’s taught other firefighters so much, too. He’s a person who always does the right thing,” said Deputy Chief Craig Chabot after the ceremony. ”He’s been a tremendous asset to the department, and a big part of the Dover Fire Department is leaving with him today.”

Brown didn’t want to list his most memorable rescues. He did cite one fire years ago where he and his fellow firefighters went into a burning building and brought out an individual who recovered after some time in the hospital. “Sure, that’s super rewarding,” he said, but noted that’s not what most of the job is about.

“We all go into fire service as a young, naive firefighter thinking we’re going to do big, heroic things each day,” Brown said. “Most of the time it’s just holding someone’s hand, saying some kind words, and I’m good with that.”

He chuckled as he remembered one of his early calls was to catch a pet cockatiel bird off a roof. He remembers thinking when the call came in “What? This isn’t dropping hose,” he said, thinking it wasn’t what all his training was for. But, he said, that’s what most of the job is, solving problems for and taking care of community members.

Brown said he’s looking forward to checking off some of his wife’s “honey-do” list and noted his degree was in electricity so he will probably do electrical work in some capacity.

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He said the quality of his colleagues in the Dover Fire Department as firefighters and as people has made him proud throughout his career. “It truly made this place such a great fit for me,” he said.

He gave an example of a medical call where they helped an older patient at home and were preparing to transport him to the hospital. He looked over and saw one of the firefighters walking the patient’s dog on the street because they knew the owner was going to the hospital and it might be a while before someone could take the dog out.

“They think nothing of doing things like that. It’s the little things they’ll do for people. I couldn’t be more proud,” he said. “They have excellent training and incredible skillsets, but most often it’s their kind words, a little handholding on a person’s worst day. That’s the fire department that Dover has.”

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover NH fire Capt. Troy Brown grateful retires after 33 years