Small Northern Vermont Volunteer Fire Department Mourning Longserving Veteran

By Ted Cohen

The Grand Isle Fire Department has announced the death of a popular firefighter who had four decades of service.

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“The Grand Isle Fire Department was dispatched to a medical emergency involving one of our own,” agency officials said on Facebook.

“Despite the tireless efforts of fellow firefighters and EMS personnel, including CPR and life-saving measures, Firefighter Fred Mashtare passed away,” the department said.

Mashtare dedicated more than four decades to the fire service, serving with nearly every department in Grand Isle County, though Grand Isle Fire was always the place he called home.

“Throughout his years of service, he filled many roles within the department and spent many years serving on the Board of North Country International Fire Training Service Inc.,” officials said. “His commitment to helping others never wavered, and he was passionate about mentoring the next generation of firefighters, always eager to share his knowledge, experience, and the occasional story from ‘back in the day.’"

Mashtare served on Alburgh, South Hero, North Hero and was an active member of Grand Isle at the time of his passing .

He came from a family of fire fighters. Following in the footsteps of his father Millard, his Uncle Donald and older brother Scott. The Mashtare family has strong roots in North Hero Fire dating back to the early 60s, according to the North Hero Volunteer Fire Department.

In recent years, Mashtare “proudly took on the role of driving the tanker, making sure water got where it was needed” the department said. “If you heard the unmistakable sound of AC/DC blasting from an old cassette as the tanker rolled up, you knew Fred had arrived.”

Information regarding funeral and memorial arrangements will be shared as soon as they become available.

Grand Isle and North Hero rescue three years ago saved Mashtare’s life after he had a heart attack, his later undergoing heart surgery followed by a difficult recovery.