Mayor Jackie Bird presents John Englebeck a proclamation at the Village of Marblehead Council Meeting recently recognizing him for 50 years of service as a member4 of the Marblehead Volunteer Fire Department. Englebeck also received a colorful glass flame created by artist Cary Ferguson of Ferguson Gallery in Marblehead. His wife, Patricia, received a bouquet as a member of the fire department’s auxiliary. (Photo by D’Arcy Patrick Egan)

BY D’ARCY PATRICK EGAN

Some of the most important members of small towns around the country are volunteer firemen, the men and women who selflessly devote what free time they have to protecting friends and neighbors by becoming volunteer firemen.

John Englebeck of Marblehead is one of those special townsfolk. He spent much of his free time in training, classes and more, like the seven out of ten firefighters and emergency responders around the country that are volunteers. Englebeck, a member of a family of volunteer firefighters, had been fighting fires for the Village of Marblehead Fire Department for 50 years.

To mark that 50th anniversary, this month the village presented Englebeck with a Fiftieth Anniversary Proclamation by Mayor Jacqueline Bird “for over a half of a century, from generation to generation and until this present time, as an integral part of our village and township teams.”

The proclamation noted that Englebeck joined the Marblehead Volunteer Fire Department on Jan. 1, 1970 at 23 years of age. He’s now 76, and his wife, Patricia, is a member of the Fire Department Auxiliary, helping with meals, meetings and social events.

Englebeck was praised for making the sacrifice of time away from family, home employment and for placing himself in harm’s way for the greater good of the Marblehead Peninsula. It has meant many hours of training in fire control, fire safety education, rescue procedures and putting into action those skills on a regular basis.

He continues to serve on the Danbury Township Fire Department in an Honorary Status through participation in department meetings, fundraisers and special events since his official retirement on June 14, 2021.