Ladders on Fairfield-Benton and Winslow fire trucks form an arch Sunday as a show of respect during the memorial service for Duane Bickford, Fairfield’s former fire chief, who died Nov. 15 at home. He was 66. Hannah Kaufman/Morning Sentinel

FAIRFIELD — A memorial service held Sunday at the Williamson Performing Arts Center honored the life of Duane Bickford, who served as Fairfield’s fire chief and spent 32 years with the department.

Bickford died Nov. 15 at his home. He was 66.

The former fire chief was known for his commitment to his job and willingness to help others, said Chief Travis Leary, who joined the Fairfield and Benton Fire-Rescue Department as a junior in 1997 and received training and mentorship from Bickford.

“He was definitely very old school, but he liked to have an aggressive Fire Department, because that’s kind of the way he trained and was teaching people,” Leary said. “He cared about being aggressive, being good at your job, and was willing to help out just about anybody that needed it in any way that he could.”

The 3 p.m. memorial service saw a mix of guests in uniform and plain clothes, with about 30 firefighters from Fairfield, Augusta, Clinton, Skowhegan, Waterville and other departments greeting attendees at the door.

During the ceremony, guests were invited to the front to share reflections and stories. The stage was enveloped in red curtains, with two stationary firefighters flanking either side of the coffin, holding fire axes as a show of respect.

Bickford is survived by his wife, Lynn, and daughter, Samantha. His family filled the first three rows of the auditorium.

Bickford’s career in firefighting began in 1987 as a volunteer with the Fairfield Fire Department. He later joined the department full time, and was promoted to fire chief in 2000. He worked until his retirement in 2023.

Bickford was also a member of the Maine Fire Chiefs’ Association, at one point serving as president. His work over the past decade to establish the Fairfield Training Facility, including securing a $500,000 grant in 2021, has had a great impact on the Fire Department, giving Fairfield and the surrounding area a place to train new firefighters, Leary said.

During the memorial service, guests also remembered Bickford for his woodworking, fishing, cooking skills, game nights, pranks, meals at Bolley’s Famous Franks at 96 College Ave. in Waterville and for the train that runs around his cellar.

At the end of the ceremony, Leary put his radio to the microphone for the “last alarm,” a tradition that signifies a firefighter has died, his or her duty is fulfilled and others will step up to take the next watch.

Firefighters lined the aisles and stood before Bickford’s coffin two at a time in silent salute.

Leary said an experience he had with Bickford more than 20 years ago has always stood out in his mind, demonstrating the former fire chief’s selflessness and character.

“I remember when I first started as a junior, we were doing a training and I didn’t have a hood,” Leary said. “So he reached into his gear and gave me his hood, the hood that protects our head and neck. After the training, I went to give it back and he’s like, ‘No, keep it.’ I still have it because, as a 14-, 15-year-old kid, the career guy gave me something like that, and I just kind of held onto it.”

Bickford’s passion for teaching the next generation of firefighters will stay at the forefront of his legacy, Leary said.

“I think he’ll always be remembered as being the chief that was very strong, and he knew the firefighting job well, and he taught that to a lot of firefighters throughout the years,” Leary said. “I think that will probably be his biggest legacy — just his willingness to teach all the new people and spread his knowledge throughout everywhere.”