SACO — When Marc Paquette first joined the Saco Fire Department he didn’t think of firefighting as a long-term career.

Things change. The fire captain retired Wednesday after 37  ½ years of service in the department.

Paquette, 61, is the son of a firefighter. His father, Armand, was a firefighter for many years, retiring as deputy chief. However, Paquette went to college and earned a degree in education, with the goal of becoming a teacher.

After he graduated college, Paquette took on a job as a firefighter.

“I thought I’d do this until I got a teaching job, but I just never left,” he said.

After he began working at the fire department, Paquette said, he discovered he really liked the excitement of the job and the adrenalin rush, as well as serving the community.

“It was different every day,” he said. “People don’t call the fire department when they’re having a good day. They call when they need help. It’s a good feeling knowing you can help people.”

Paquette did educational outreach for the fire department for about about 20 years, and for many years served as the department’s public education coordinator.

Retired Fire Chief Alden Murphy said Paquette did an excellent job leading fire safety drills and working with children.

“He had an education background, but he was just a natural with kids,” said Murphy, Paquette’s former ambulance partners.

In addition to fighting fires, Paquette said that he coached local youth sports and taught physical education at the former Notre Dame de Lourdes School in Saco.

Paquette will use that experience in the next phase of his life. On Friday, two days after his retirement, he will start a full-time job in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].