Fire departments from across area give former chief a surprise parade

Former Penobscot Fire Chief Bim Snow was treated to a surprise parade of fire trucks on Sept. 14. His wife Laura sits beside him. Photo by John Boit.

By John Boit

PENOBSCOT—Albert “Bim” Snow thought his wife, Laura, wanted him to go look at the Great Blue Herons that often feed in the marsh across the road from his house in Penobscot. But after she settled him in his wheelchair at the edge of the road, a surprise came around the corner and into view.

Thirteen fire trucks from eight different departments honored Snow as they passed by his house in a surprise parade on the morning of Sept. 14, along with a dozen personal vehicles of firefighters and supporters. Snow, now 84, served as Penobscot’s fire chief for 23 years and later became the vice president for the Maine State Federation of Firefighters. In total, he has been involved in firefighting for 50 years, he said.

Fire departments from eight towns came to participate in the parade, including Penobscot, Blue Hill, Brooksville, Orland, Sedgwick, Castine, Deer Isle and Brooklin.

As generations of firefighters gathered on his lawn after the home-grown parade, Snow talked about the rewards and challenges of serving on local departments.

“You’ve got to be pretty much devoted to being a fireman,” Snow said. “Kids and family events, I missed a lot of that stuff. But when the bell rings, you gotta go.”

Penobscot’s current fire chief, James Clarke, joined the fire service as a junior member when Snow was chief.

“We’re a family,” Clarke said. “Even when someone is no longer in the service, they’ll always be a part of it.”

Snow, right, talks with current Penobscot Fire Chief James Clarke. Photo by John Boit.

Tyler Snow (right), who is Penobscot’s assistant fire chief, shares a quiet moment after the parade with Bim Snow, who served as the town’s fire chief for 23 years. The former chief is also the younger Snow’s great uncle. Photo by John Boit.