Ken Fickett, a 47-year veteran of the Gorham Fire Department, was appointed Chief of the department by Gorham Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak. Fickett will serve as only the second full-time Fire Chief for the Town of Gorham since 1987, having served as the acting chief since the August 2020 retirement of Robert Lefebvre.

Chief Fickett’s career in the Fire Service started with the Call Company for Gorham Fire in 1974. He became a full-time firefighter/EMT with the department in 1999. He served as Call Company Deputy Chief from 1989 through 2001, and as full time Deputy Chief since 2001.

Raised in Gorham, Chief Fickett completed his post-secondary education at SMCC, SMVTI, the National Fire Academy, and additional fire sci- ence coursework at numerous schools across Maine and New Hampshire. Chief Fickett attributes his passion for Fire Service to the late Westbrook Fire Chief Byron Rogers, retired Gorham Fire Chief Robert Lefebvre, and his two older siblings who entered the field early in life.

Regarding his initial goals as Chief, Fickett aims to maintain and encourage Call Company participation and service through continual professional development and training, and noted the critical role that the Call service and full-time staff play together to provide public safety for our Town of approximately 17,978 (2019 U.S. Census population estimate). Between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020, Gorham Fire and Rescue responded to 2,771 calls through the collaboration of 10 full-time personnel and 100 Call Company members. Chief Fickett’s primary goal in the coming year is to ensure a smooth transition and to support our first responders wherever possible as we push through the pandemic.