Stafford County native Eddie Allen cut his teeth as a fire and rescue volunteer in the area, waiting for his 21st birthday to get hired as a Fredericksburg firefighter. He would go on to lead the department, and the chief recently retired after 46 years with the city.
Oh, the changes he has seen over nearly half a century. When he joined in 1974, the department had 14 employees. There are now more than 60 firefighters, officers and support staff, with rescue crews staffing advanced life support ambulances 24/7.
Heâs particularly proud of his accomplishments during his 16 years as chief. He enjoyed working with the staff he calls âa brotherhood.â He talked about earning the support of City Council members and city managers âwho trusted me to provide honest answers.â He pointed to his effort to build a âbadly neededâ new public radio system for crews to communicate.
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