ROCKLAND – The Lowe family has add another title of distinction to their fire-fighting pedigree. On Thursday, Jan. 18, Patrick Lowe officially accepted the title of lieutenant during a ceremony at the Rockland Fire Station. His brother, Camden’s Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Lowe, attended the event, representing the brothers’ father and the town where Patrick got his start. 

“Growing up, I spent a lot of my childhood in the firehouse,” said Patrick, who graduated from high school in Islesboro. “We’re pretty tight on the fire service.”

For 37 years, their father Charles, aka Chris, held various positions within the Camden Fire Department, laying the foundation for the sons who would follow in his footsteps, and one of whom would move, four years later, to another station two zip codes down.

Patrick, who has worked with the Rockland Fire Department for 13 years, earned a degree in the fire sciences through Southern Maine Technical College. He then went through Firefighter I and II, officer school, and earned his advanced EMT level.

From then on, all things related to flame and stretcher have been the name of the game.

“What I like most about it is not knowing from day to day,” he said. “It’s the excitement of getting called to do anything. And obviously the community service is very rewarding.”

Lowe’s work ethic and his ability to study for the intense exam were cited as parts of the “combination of everything” that earned him his new title.

“He has worked hard for years, and definitely met this role,” Chief Chris Whytock said.

For Lowe, the ceremony was nice, but he was ready to get back to work.

“We’ve got to shovel hydrants after this,” he said. “So we have a little ceremony, and then we get right into the trucks and start shoveling.”

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com