Firefighter Lt. Dennis O’Grady retires from Portland Fire Bureau
The Mid-county Memo is always proud to promote our modern day heroes, those men and women of the Portland Police Bureau and the Portland Fire Bureau.
This past summer saw the retirement of Lt. Dennis O’Grady, who worked at Portland Fire Station No. 43, located at Northeast 133rd Avenue and San Rafael Street.
O’Grady was part of a contingent from Station No. 43 who in June 2002 hosted visiting firefighters from New York City’s Engine Company 306, one of the many brave units that responded to the horrific scene in that city on Sept. 11, 2001. The New York firefighters who came to Portland also participated in the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade.
“Local firefighters welcome heroes from Ground Zero,” July 2002.
O’Grady was hired by the Portland Fire Bureau on March 10, 1978, training on both fire trucks and fire engines. Basically, fire trucks are the large vehicles that carry the ladders and other emergency equipment, including the Jaws of Life; fire engines carry the hoses and water.
O’Grady served throughout the city of Portland as a firefighter on both fire trucks and fire engines. He also worked as a fire alarm dispatcher. He became a lieutenant in 1996.
O’Grady worked at Portland Fire Station No. 43 from 1998 to 2003, wrapping up his nearly 30 years with the Portland Fire Bureau on Engine 10, located at 451 S.W. Taylors Ferry Road, from 2003 to 2007. He retired June 20, 2007.
“Portland’s got one of the best fire bureaus in the nation,” O’Grady said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my career with the Portland Fire Bureau.”
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