Theodore Marshall was 15 years old when he watched first responders in action as his father died.

He knew he wanted to do his best to make things better for anyone experiencing such a moment.

“I’ve been through it, and it’s not a fun thing to do,” Marshall, 37, said. “That’s why I kind of want to do my best to ensure like no one has to go through that, or at least give everything I can to ensure that I can use my training and knowledge to make the situation better.”

Marshall, Hallowell’s new fire chief, already had an understanding of what that meant. His father, Peter Marshall, was Topsham’s assistant EMS chief.

Marshall was sworn in as chief at the end of August.

He joined the Marine Corps stationed in North Carolina after graduating from high school in Topsham. He later became a firefighter and paramedic and went on to work for the Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center Fire Department and then for the Augusta Fire Department, where he has worked for 11 years.

The fire chief position in Hallowell is a 20-hour-per-week role, so Marshall said he will continue to work shifts with the Augusta Fire Department as well as one shift a week with the Topsham Fire Department. The part-time position in Hallowell pays $26,000 a year.

In Hallowell, Marshall is focused on making improvements, expanding the department and educating about fire prevention.

“Prevention is a huge, big thing for me,” Marshall said. “If I can prevent a fire from happening, that, you know, saves a lot of headache and a lot of heartache from people.”

With October being Fire Prevention Month, Marshall hopes to get out into the community and schools to talk about fire safety.

And Marshall said he’d love to see more people join the fire department in Hallowell.

“One of the things I like about being fire chief is now I kind of get to take that role of helping other people, and now I get to sort of help the department itself grow and develop into, you know, a much better version of itself,” Marshall said.

Marshall replaced former chief James Owens who took indefinite medical leave in October. Aaron Selwood was then appointed as the interim fire chief.

Hallowell City Manager Ross McLellan said Marshall stood out among other candidates for the position because of his strong vision for the department and “passion for fire service.” McLellan is confident Marshall will be able to further grow and develop the department.

“What I love about being a firefighter is … serving my community,” Marshall said. “I love being the person to sort of help when someone’s having a really bad day.”