By John Collins
The Lowell Sun
DRACUT, Mass. — Among the world-travel items that Fire Chief Leo Gaudette plans to begin crossing off his bucket list after closing out his 38-year career with the Dracut Fire Department today is a visit to the Great Wall of China.
The Great Wall is one of the few human accomplishments that can be seen from space, the chief noted.
When asked last week by his friend, Lowell Fire Chief Ed “Skip” Pitta, to name his greatest accomplishment since 1980 as either a Dracut firefighter, lieutenant, captain, deputy chief or chief, however, Gaudette’s proudest career feat did not fall in the tangible “Great Wall” category, he said.
“Chief (Joseph) DiRocco before me was able to see two fire stations built during his watch, and that was great. And I can’t say I hired 25 guys during my tenure either,” said Gaudette on Monday.
Gaudette was taking a break from clearing out his office to make way for his successor, Capt. David Brouillette, who will be sworn in this afternoon.
“But there is an accomplishment I am very proud of: The whole time I was a Dracut fire officer — lieutenant, captain, deputy chief and chief — I never once sent a guy to the hospital emergency room.”
Gaudette was vigilant about the safety of his firefighters, “a stickler for avoiding needless injuries,” — especially after being sworn in as DiRocco’s successor on Sept. 7, 2002, he said.
“So that was my answer to his question: ‘Skip, I never closed the ambulance door on one guy.’ ”
Pitta will act as emcee at Gaudette’s retirement dinner March 29 at Lenzi’s at 6:30 p.m.
The event promises to be packed with hundreds of employed and retired firefighters, who Gaudette has either worked with, trained or spent time with during a lengthy career.
Gaudette, born and raised in Dracut, recalled joining the town’s Fire Department part time as a call firefighter on April 5, 1975, a week before his 17th birthday. Two older cousins, both Lowell firefighters, Paul Clark and John St. Onge, inspired him to be a firefighter.
“I started coming to the drills on Wednesday nights. It was all firefighting how-to stuff: how to run the pumps, raise ladders,” recalled Gaudette. “In 1980, they hired a group of eight of us call firefighters because the town was opening up another station.”
Among those other firefighters that joined the full-time staff and attended the Massachusetts Fire Academy in Stow together was Deputy Chief Mike Rawls, who has served alongside Gaudette.
The camaraderie, “being with the guys every day,” is what Gaudette said he will miss most during retirement.
The veiled stress that all fire chiefs — and most department heads — face is what he will miss the least, he said.
Some retired chiefs have told him tell those stresses go away “within days” after stepping down.
“It will be good to slow the pace down a bit. It’ll be a lot different,” said Gaudette.
Still, there was a sadness as he went about removing photos and keepsakes from his office walls and shelves, boxing up 30 years of memories, he admitted.
At 53, Gaudette is a bachelor who owns a beach condominium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and co-owns a residence in northern New Hampshire.
The good life beckons. Not including golf.
“Everybody asks me about golf, but I actually, play it very little,” he said. “I’m more likely to spend time at the beach or snowmobiling in New Hampshire.”
He also plans to become a part-time instructor at the Massachusetts Firefighters Academy, which he did before becoming Dracut’s chief.
Gaudette hopes to visit include Australia, Istanbul, Turkey and Russia.
The official change-of-command/swearing-in ceremony for incoming Chief Brouillette begins at 4:30 p.m. at the main Dracut Fire Station, 488 Pleasant St.
Copyright 2012 MediaNews Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved