Since Assistant Chief Gary Dion began his career at the Montague Center Fire Department 42 years ago, he’s learned many lessons, including the importance of wearing a seat belt. 

“I never really wore a seat belt a lot,” Dion said. He recalls seeing what could happen in a car crash when a seat belt isn’t worn, and he’s seen the evolution of that safety measure.

“Nobody wore seat belts. Now everybody wears it,” Dion added. 

Although it may just be a seat belt, this evolution of safety is something Dion has witnessed from the time he began as a firefighter in 1982 [before seat belts were a mandated safety measure in Massachusetts], until Dion was 12 years into his firefighting career.

Now 72, Dion has taken this lesson with him throughout his four-decade career in different roles and under different chiefs within the Montague Center department.

“I describe him a little bit like the ‘soul of the machine,’” Montague Center Fire Department Chief Dave Hansen said of Dion. “He embodies the loyalty and the hard work of the fire department.”

Hansen has worked with Dion since becoming chief in 2016. He explained that Dion would have retired at 65, but an exception was made by the state for him to stay on the force longer.

“In the state of Massachusetts, the law is if you're a paid firefighter, then the retirement age is 65, but we got a waiver for a few of us to stay on until 72, and he is the first one [of us] to reach 72,” Hansen said. 

In his time working with Dion, Hansen explained that he’s seen Dion take on more of taking care of the department and its staff and less firefighting. In one instance, Hansen explained that Dion took the time during a department meeting to get air conditioning installed for the building. 

“[Meetings] tend to not be very exciting,” Hansen said, “But it's just an example of him putting his neck out and looking out for everybody in the station and the department, and wanting it to just be the best place it could be.” 

Dion became a firefighter after his brother and neighbor inspired him to join the department. Both of them were firefighters, and his interest in public service guided his decision further.

“The biggest part of joining the department is doing it for community service, and most of all, helping the community out,” Dion explained. 

Even before becoming a firefighter, Dion was committed to public service through his time serving in the U.S. Navy for three years, then joining the Water Department in 1980. “I’ve been fire, water and military serving the people,” he said. 

As Dion enters retirement, he still plans to stay with the water department.

In reflecting on his decades of service in the fire department, Dion sees the department as his second family after cultivating a friendship with his colleagues, closeness the helped him be an effective fire department member.

“You get new friends, and that really helps out a lot when you when you can work with other departments and work with other people in your department,” Dion said. “Friendship and everything makes a big difference — it's like a new family.” 

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.