MA Deputy Chief Honored for Nearly 50 Years of Service

MILLBURY, MA — Fire Department Deputy Chief David Rudge heard the familiar sounds of fire engine sirens Monday — he was just puzzled by what he didn't hear: his pager.

When a call comes in, the pager traditionally sounds and then apparatus head to the scene.

"What," he wondered, "was going on?"

Turns out, the engines were not responding to a fire or other emergency.

They were responding to him.

The apparatus formed a parade to salute Rudge on his last day of service for the Millbury Fire Department after 47 years.

The procession was held in lieu of the usual "last Monday night," celebration held at the fire station for a retiring department member, Fire Chief Richard P. Hamilton Jr. said.

Such a gathering was not possible due to the coronavirus pandemic. So instead, he was honored with the parade of vehicles, featuring his department colleagues, family members and close friends.

"We decided we're not letting him go without a ceremony, of some sort, in this case a first for the department," Hamilton said.

Rudge said the celebration was, "absolutely fantastic. You know the old saying, 'Everybody loves a parade.'"

Everybody also has fond feelings for Rudge, said Hamilton.

"He always had a winning attitude," Hamilton said. "He's a very, very likeable guy. Anything you needed, he was right there."

His 47 years of service represents the most any person can now serve, from the minimum age of 18 to the mandatory retirement of 65.

He started at the Bramanville station and has always put a focus on taking care of and advocated for Bramanville and West Millbury, Hamilton said.

He was appointed a civil defense firefighter in February 1973, and appointed a regular member in August 1974. On June 30, 1977, he was appointed a lieutenant of Engine 2, serving a short stint before being appointed captain of Station 2 on Jan. 1, 1978.

He served as a captain for 22 years, which was nearly a record in town, Hamilton said. Moving up to the board of fire engineers in March 2000, he became an assistant chief. He also served two stints as fire chief, for a total of nine years, before becoming the department's first deputy chief.

Firefighting is a family tradition, Rudge said. His grandfather served for 33 years as a Worcester firefighter, where he retired from the Quinsigamond Village station.

Two generations later, his brother served as a Worcester firefighter, retiring due to injury with the rank of lieutenant. His first station was the Quinsigamond Village station where their grandfather served.

Fighting fires brings challenges and, at times, heartbreak, Rudge said. Fires hurt people, emotionally and sometimes physically, and most tragically, fatally, he said.

But, firefighters often help people, from pulling survivors out of burning buildings to something as seemingly routine as pumping out a flooded basement, he said.

"People are very, very grateful," he added. "Putting a smile on somebody's face, that's very rewarding."

Racing into a structure ablaze as people are rushing out is not for the faint of heart, Rudge said. Firefighters are a "special breed. They're all very good people. It's a great group of people that comes together and get things done."

For Rudge, those accomplishments included being "involved with the purchase of every piece of apparatus currently in service, including the two new ones just about ready for delivery," at a half million dollars each, Hamilton said. "His knowledge of trucks has been unmatched and has kept the fleet in top and efficient operation."

He "will be missed for his depth of knowledge and his great personality," Hamilton said.

The deputy chief said the feeling is mutual. He thanked everyone he has worked with and who has reached out to him with good wishes for his retirement.

Looking back on nearly a half century of firefighting, he said, "I've enjoyed every minute of it."

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