Fire Chief Chris Balentine passes the torch after 39 years
YORK, Maine – Chris Balentine, longtime leader of the York Village Volunteer Fire Department, has retired after nearly four decades to make way for new leadership.
Balentine retired June 1 after serving as chief of the York Village Fire Department for 39 years. He joined in 1972 as a third-generation volunteer firefighter and rose from lieutenant to captain, assistant chief and finally chief in 1985.
Balentine said he could have made it to 40 years, but he felt now was the right time to step down on behalf of his family and the department.
“We want to travel,” Balentine said.
Another factor, he said, is the need for the department to place more emphasis on fire prevention and training. Although Balentine is retiring as chief, he plans to stay on as the department’s fire marshal.
Balentine said serving in the fire department is like a brotherhood, which he is grateful for. His son is a member of the fire department, and he said his grandson could eventually give his family five generations of York firefighters.
“It gets into your blood,” Balentine said.
Balentine’s successor is a firefighter who has served with the outgoing chief for all but seven years of his career. Assistant Chief David Apgar took over as chief effective June 1 after serving with the department since 1979.
Apgar said he knew Balentine only as head of the department.
“I always joke that I’m Mac Jones and he’s Tom Brady,” Apgar said. “He’s a legend.”
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Balentine joined the York Village Fire Department 39 years ago
Balentine was a young boy when he first learned about the profession of firefighter. York has two different fire departments in the city, one serves the village and the other is the York Beach Fire Department with its own chief.
Firefighters from both departments have firefighter families that go back generations, just like Balentine’s family. His great-great-grandfather, Elijah, was a firefighter and lived in a house that still stands next to the department on York Street.
Balentine said his father, a firefighter, inspired him by taking him to events such as parades where fire trucks sounded their sirens. He also watched his father rush to fires and felt the camaraderie felt by members of the department. When he joined, he said, he too experienced the excitement and brotherhood.
“It’s an adrenaline thing. It’s a camaraderie thing,” Balentine said. “It’s one of those things where you get into the band and you become close to your brothers and sisters.”
Balentine said he and other firefighters of his generation had “cut their teeth” putting out fires in old buildings, which are more likely to go up in flames than modern structures. He recalled that one of the first major fires he was called to was at York Grammar School, which he and his fellow firefighters attended as children.
The fire was set by some students who wanted a day off from school, according to Balentine. He recalled that they did not intend to burn down the entire building.
“They actually had a day off,” Balentine said. “They tore everything down, and it was quite a disaster.”
Balentine said he enjoys working in the town where he grew up and being close to the community. As a small town manager, the department has more time to help neighbors in need, he said.
When the owner of the Sun Drop Cafe near the department waved at Balentine and asked for help fixing his sign, the department sent him a ladder so he could reach it. Balentine said he gets waves every time he drives by there now, which is common among people the department has helped over the years.
“It’s just a thank you,” Balentine said. “That’s all we get for our excitement, and that’s a good thing.”
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Balentine leaves behind a “game for young men”
Balentine said he views his retirement as “passing the baton” to Apgar as he steps down from his leadership position. He said the department has a class of five students aspiring to become firefighters this year and the list is full.
“This is a younger man’s game these days,” Balentine said. He said his move allows talented firefighters to move up the chain of command and become lieutenant or captain.
“Some of them are quite willing to take on a little more responsibility,” Balentine said.
Balentine said his new job as fire marshal will be helpful as the city expects new developments in the future. He said working with developers on fire protection will help Apgar focus on other administrative tasks.
City officials say Balentine will be missed and thanked for the years he dedicated to the city.
Selectboard Chairman Todd Frederick said Balentine’s willingness to continue serving as the department’s fire marshal was welcome and his years of service were more than commendable.
“I honestly take my hat off to him,” Frederick said. “You don’t find many people who devote so much time to their community. This is a testament to how he feels about it.”
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