David Macnaughton: Someone to lean on
Truro Volunteer Fire Brigade chaplain retires after 28 years of service
TRURO, N.S. – A young man’s desire to go overseas led to years of service with the Truro Volunteer Fire Brigade.
David Macnaughton was a student at Mount Allison University when he heard the University Naval Training Division (UNTD) provided opportunities to go overseas. He became an officer cadet, remaining with the navy for two years.
“They taught us how to put fires out if you were out to sea,” he said. “You have to close the ship down and then deal with the fire. When I came to Truro as a minister (at First United), the fire brigade heard I had some training and approached me about becoming their chaplain.”
Macnaughton retired as brigade chaplain in December, after 28 years.
“They’re a great bunch to be with,” he said. “There’s a lot of laughter, even though they do serious work. I had a marvelous time with them and made lifelong friends.”
As chaplain, he attended meetings, visited brigade members when they were ill or had a death in their family, accompanied the chief or deputy chief when they talked to people about a loss of life, and was there to listen when firefighters needed to talk. Sometimes he even went out to help with traffic control during fires.
“When women joined the brigade it was a real boost,” he said. “The best thing that happened was having mixed genders, equally well-trained.”
Macnaughton left Truro for several years, working in ministry in Charlottetown. But when he returned, the Truro brigade asked him to once again serve as their chaplain.
“We always leaned on him,” said brigade deputy chief Geoff ‘Slim’ Fisher. “He has an openness, an ability to relate to anyone and help you through things. And he’s never judgmental. He talks to people and makes them feel they’re the most important people in the world to him at that time. We could call him at nine in the morning or nine at night and he’d always make time for us.”
As a brigade member himself for 13 years, Fisher said he’s had some good chats with Macnaughton.
“If we had our pick of anybody on this planet I couldn’t think of a more dedicated, loyal supporter than David,” Fisher added
In December he began feeling unwell, and Macnaughton decided it was time to retire. He handed in his letter and two days later was in hospital due to heart issues.
He’s spending time at home with his wife, Nancy, and reading a lot now. He says he’ll still help out the brigade when possible.
“They told me the door to the fire department is open to me at any time and they invited me to join the retired firefighters’ group,” he said. “I have no regrets about the time I spent with the brigade. I thank God for the privilege of being with such a fine group of people.”