52 Faces of Community: David Finn By Holly Desrosier Former fire chief David Finn has a burning desire to preserve his community’s rich history. From extinguishing fires early in his career to recently assisting in the conservation of the history of New Bern’s earliest fire stations, he has actively contributed to his community for much of his life. From Middletown, New York, David began his firefighting career during his four years in the Air Force Reserve. He then became active with the Middletown Fire Department and remained there for 53 years, as well as the Howells Fire District for about 45 years. During that time, he served two terms as fire chief and four terms as fire commissioner. He also worked as the vice president of operations for Cassel Brothers Stores, Inc., a high-end clothing retailer, for 30 years before retiring.