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SPENCER – Corey Lacaire, who recently retired as deputy fire chief, said that Spencer’s department is “top notch,” in terms of efficiency and discipline.
“I was proud to work among them,” he said in a recent phone interview following his retirement in December.
Lacaire retired because of the demands of his full-time job in the fiber optics field for a global company. Otherwise, he suspects his 30 years in the fire department would have continued.
“It’s something I really loved to do,” he said.
Over three decades, Lacaire witnessed numerous changes including the number of “on call” firefighters on whom Spencer residents rely.
“When I started in 1995, the department had 40 to 45 people – so even if some were unavailable for a call, it was not noticeable because there was always enough coverage,” he said.
Today, the on-call roster is at 17 and if only half are available to answer a call, that presents a problem. Coupled with the anticipated loss of full-time firefighters when their grant-funding runs out, Lacaire feels the situation must be addressed.
“We need more call firefighters to step up,” he said. “It’s critically important to get new people in there…At the end of the day, if people want fire protection, they need to step up or pay up. There is no in between.”
But when Lacaire looks back on his tenure, he cites numerous positives. At the top of the list is the camaraderie he enjoyed with his fellow firefighters and the way families and children are included in events and as part of the fire department community.
“That was my whole favorite part of firefighting,” Lacaire noted. “It’s the part of being in (that) family…It was never just a job.”
Significantly, Lacaire’s own family had roles in the Spencer fire department as well.
His brother Lucas went from Spencer to a career firefighter position in Worcester and his father Donald served the town for many years, holding positions as captain and district chief.
The tough aspects of the job occur, he said, when there are not enough people on hand or when a house burns down or a person passes away.
As for his experiences with major fire events, Lacaire noted he was out of town on business and not present when the First Congregational Church of Spencer was destroyed by fire in June 2023.
He said the Price Chopper fire was the most major event to which he responded and his work largely involved “well over 100” house fires as well as car accidents.
Lacaire said he was especially proud of “how the townspeople of Spencer have taken care of us equipment wise—providing for “some of the best around.” He emphasized how the department takes caring for and running the capital expenses very seriously.
Serving as deputy chief for the last five years, Lacaire also held the positions of captain, Engine 4, lieutenant on Rescue and captain on the diocese.
“Serving the community was something I loved,” he said. “I would do this all again.”
