Speaker Presentation: Firefighting During WWII

The lecture by Jason Cleary aims to provide a very brief overview of US firefighting during WWII – from the Office of Civil Defense Auxiliary firefighters helping to supplement firefighting forces in US cities and towns during the war; to the historically obscure US Army Engineer Firefighting Platoons deployed to the front lines overseas; to the civilian firefighters that protected our state-side military installations.  Hear about some interesting, lesser-known WWII firefighting facts. Learn about how a “barn-find” military fire truck forged a new friendship between two firefighters across generational lines.

Jason M. Cleary has been in public safety for over 40 years, having worked in safety & security, law enforcement, EMS, and as a full-time firefighter for more than 30 years. He currently serves as the Fire & Life Safety Specialist for the Brunswick, Maine Fire Department.  He recently retired in 2023 after 3 years as the Fire Chief in Manchester By-the Sea, Massachusetts. Prior to that assignment, he spent the previous 23 years working in the full-time fire service in New Hampshire with the Salem, Portsmouth, and Durham Fire Departments. He has been an antique fire memorabilia collector and fire buff since age 4 and has been a long-time WWII history enthusiast, researcher, collector, and reenactor as well.  Having grown up in Medford, Mass., Jason now resides in Windsor, Maine with his wife Teresa. Their daughter, Eireann, now resides in Manchester, NH.

Photos are courtesy of Ted Heinbuch and the www.Firetrucks-atwar.com website.