On a sunny Saturday afternoon with no fires in sight, Capital City Fire/Rescue celebrated the retirement of Assistant Chief Ed Quinto with family and friends at the Hagevig Regional Fire Training Center.
Quinto devoted 45 years to CCFR, making him Juneau’s longest-serving firefighter and the City and Borough of Juneau’s longest-serving employee. He has been involved in nearly every disaster in Juneau over the past half-century. Although his decades of service are notable, Quinto said the journey along the way is more important.
“I look at the things that I’ve done and accomplished,” he said in an interview. “I’ve helped a lot of firefighters become who they are now. The biggest thing I did was to help serve and protect the citizens of Juneau. Try to save their lives, helping them out on their worst day. You show up and try to help them out. Whatever it is — house fire, or if they get in a car accident or their loved ones was hurt. I’m glad I was there to comfort them and help them and provide the best care and support as best that I can.”
On Saturday, CCFR Fire Chief Rich Etheridge commended Quinto for his years of service to the department. He presented Quinto with a representation of his career, a tradition he said the department began a few years ago.
“He joined the fire department while I was still in elementary school,” Etheridge said in an interview. “I’ve known him since I was a volunteer — even as a kid growing up. My uncle was in the fire department. So I got to watch Ed advance through the ranks and went to a bunch of really rough calls around town with him. He’s just an amazing performer out in the field.”
Etheridge said Quinto is “one of the hardest working guys he knows” and has set a standard for other firefighters by always being motivated to serve the community of Juneau.
Capital City Fire/Rescue Fire Chief Rich Etheridge recognizes retired CCFR Assistant Chief Ed Quinto for his 45 years of service on Saturday outside of the Hagevig Regional Fire Training Center. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
CCFR will begin advertising in the next two weeks for Quinto’s position. It could be an internal promotion or someone from outside the department is also welcome to apply, Etheridge said. CCFR also has firefighter and mobile health team positions open.
“The fire department’s not gonna be the same without him,” he said.
Quinto was hired right out of high school at 18 years old. He went through CCFR’s training program and received his Firefighter One certification in August 1979. He began volunteering in his senior year at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé.
“Ever since I was a kid I always wanted to help people,” he said. “So when I was in high school I heard about the Glacier Volunteer Fire Department. So I thought, ‘I’ll try to be a firefighter.’”
In the winter of 1979, he took the EMT class led by Allan Edwards, a career firefighter at the time.
“He didn’t have tunnel vision, which you can’t have that as a good medic,” Edwards said in a short speech during the retirement celebration. “You got to know the whole scene. And he was good at triage, too. I worked on a call with him upside down in a car. I couldn’t get an airway in one person — spinal injury. Jaws were locked. Tried everything to open up. And Eddie goes, ‘We’re upside down.’ He says, ‘I know what to do. Take a nasal cannula, stick it in his nose.’ I’ve never done that. And he saved a life that day.”
Retired Capital City Fire/Rescue Assistant Chief Ed Quinto shakes hands and laughs with retired CCFR paramedic Allan Edwards on Saturday. They first met when Quinto took his EMT class in 1979. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Shortly after Quinto took the EMT class, CCFR opened a position for its Medic One program. Quinto tested in February of 1980 and was hired on July 31 of that year. His last day with CCFR was July 31, 2024.
“I said, ‘I’m going to walk out the same door I came in’ and I went from the kitchen right through the back door where I came in the first day,” Quinto said. “And here I am.”
During his 45 years with the department, Quinto served as Firefighter EMT One, EMT Two, EMT Three and Firefighter Two. He then moved up the ranks to become a lieutenant and a captain. Quinto began his role as an officer in 1992. He also served as division chief for the volunteer firefighters before advancing to division chief for the CCFR career staff. His last title was assistant fire chief.
“I was rope team, water team, dive team, hazmat team,” he said. “Basically, I was involved with every aspect of all the special teams with the department. I took care of the Airport Rescue Firefighting division. I took care of the buildings and the personnel.”
His advice for current and future firefighters is to “enjoy the job that you’re doing.”
As for his retirement plans, Quinto will remain in Juneau to spend more time with his family.
• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz.garrett@juneauempire.com or (907) 723-9356.
The badges of retired Capital City Fire/Rescue Assistant Chief Ed Quinto. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Retired Capital City Fire/Rescue Assistant Chief Ed Quinto stands with his wife, Andrea, during his retirement celebration on Saturday. He said it was because of his wife’s support that he could have a successful career. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
