For more than 40 years, Minton “Butch” Beach has putting out fires. Literally.
He was just 19 when he became an official volunteer member of the Martin County fire department in Oak City. The veteran firefighter even recalls the balance of the department’s bank account the night he was voted on: $265.42.
The 61-year-old man who has served as the fire marshal for Edgecombe County for the past 10 years said so much has changed in the industry he loves since he followed his father and grandfather into the fire service. The driving force behind his service, though, has never changed.
“I wanted to join the fire department because it is such an important part of small rural communities in North Carolina,” he said. “It is a very important part to keeping insurance rates down and helping your neighbors, too.”
While Beach has been with the Oak City department since he was a teenager, he has served as the chief for 22 years, and during that time, he was able to help bring the insurance rating of the district from a 9 to a 6, which has a financial impact on everyone in the fire district. In addition to some behind-the-scenes changes, Beach said that accomplishment is due in large part to the 34 men and women who make up the volunteer staff.
“The fire chief can’t do anything by himself. We can’t fight a fire or anything really besides maybe a little bit of paperwork,” he said with a laugh. “The fire chief has to have a good team. It is like a basketball team, everyone has to pull their weight and do their part then you can get a lot done.
“All of these guys have been so good and faithful to us that I don’t mind being the chief.”