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Retired Groton Fire Chief Wayne Knott Leaves a Legacy of Teaching and Learning
September 04, 2025
Trish Griswold
Groton, VT - Former Groton Volunteer Fire Chief Wayne Knott retired from his post in January, following a distinguished 57-year career in fire service, but his legacy of teaching and learning will burn brightly for many generations to come.

“Chief Knott has been a pillar in the Vermont fire service for many years,” remarks Jamie Eastman, a Flight Nurse-Paramedic at Boston MedFlight who got his start in emergency services as a cadet working under the tutelage of Ret. Chief Knott. “He welcomed me into my first EMS role and opened the door to where I am today. He gave me the opportunity to continue my EMS education.”

Ret. Chief Knott’s influence is far-reaching, and his resume is both extensive and diverse. His career began at age 16 when he joined the cadet auxiliary program at the local fire department in his hometown of Barnstable, MA. As a child, he was “scared” of the 1938 Mack fire truck that bellowed down the roads of Barnstable to fires in his area, but he laid those fears to rest when a group of friends convinced him to become a fire cadet. “We were fortunate that we had some excellent people who took this ragtag bunch of teenagers and showed them the pump, the nozzle, and so forth. We were spoiled,” says Ret. Chief Knott, who admits to enjoying the adrenaline rush. “We had a county drill yard, like from [Groton] to Haverhill, so we’d go over to the drill yard, and we would do things we can’t do now because of EPA guidelines.”

Ret. Chief Knott served with the Barnstable Fire Department until 1974 when he married his wife, Dorothy, and they moved to Woodbury Lake in Calais, VT. He worked as a horse logger but decided to return to college and pursue a career as an arborist. Ret. Chief Knott earned an Associate in Arts Degree in Education from Cape Cod Community College, an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Forestry from Paul Smith’s College, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resources from UMass-Amherst. In 1977, the Knott Family moved to Groton, VT, where Ret. Chief Knott became employed at Northeastern Log Homes before eventually starting his own boat and canoe repair business.

In addition to maintaining his full-time job, Ret. Chief Knott devoted himself to building a network of emergency services both locally and throughout the region. He served as a Vermont State Fire Instructor for more than 20 years. He also served on the Board of Directors and the Training Committee for Twin State Mutual Aid and held the post of Vice President and Inspector for Capital Fire Mutual Aid. Ret. Chief Knott was a founding member of the Groton-Ryegate FAST Squad, serving as Head of Services for three years, and a Rural Water Instructor for a private company called Catamount Fire Training for more than 15 years. During his 18 year-career with the Groton Volunteer Fire Department (GVFD), Ret. Chief Knott organized and facilitated a multitude of drills and trainings for the department, including but not limited to: Ice Rescue Team training, Dry Hydrant Program training, DHART Landing Zone training, Flashover training, Firefighter Rehab training, Logger Rescue training, and an Emergency Vehicle Operating Class.

When asked about the accomplishment(s) he is most proud of, Ret. Chief Knott references a bookshelf at the Groton Free Public Library that contains a vast collection of texts and other resources for fire and emergency medical services. The library’s computer system also has a direct link to the National Fire Academy so that “an individual can sit here in Groton and get material from the National Library to help them advance their career…these are resources for the next generation.”

Ret. Chief Knott cites recruitment, retention, and training as the biggest challenges he faced during his tenure. “We’re here to help when people are having a real hard day,” he explains. “We've had some tragedies over the years, but we’ve had some saves too.” In addition to the level of commitment necessary and the emotional toll on first responders, Ret. Chief Knott says the training required for each certification “takes hundreds and hundreds of hours.” He hopes that making education more accessible through the materials offered at the local library will help inspire the next generation to become more involved with emergency services.

According to Ret. Chief Knott’s successor, Chief Aaron Smith, “Wayne's decades of service to the Groton Fire Department has unquestionably been the reason for its continued operational success. For years, Wayne has emphasized outside of the textbook teaching or ‘local training to local realities’ which, beyond a doubt, has saved more than one area family's home. I check with Wayne before clearing off an emergency scene, making sure I have not overlooked something.”

Ret. Chief Knott is undoubtedly a wealth of knowledge and well-respected for his expertise. He has helped train hundreds of up-and-coming young firefighters in the area, and his motto has always been, “When you teach, you learn twice.” If there was a job to be done, he worked alongside his squad members, showing them what to do every step of the way. “Chief Knott is the kind of leader who never asks others to give what he hasn’t already given himself,” Eastman states. “His dedication, his stamina, and his refusal to let his community down are what make him truly extraordinary.”

Ret. Chief Knott is humble and well aware that he could not have been “truly extraordinary” throughout his career without the unconditional love and support of his wife, Dorothy, whose guidance has been instrumental to his success. Dorothy, a Level 1 firefighter and dispatcher, helped Ret. Chief Knott build GVFD “from the ground up.” She has worked quietly behind the scenes, filing paperwork, organizing events, preparing food, etc. “The only way I made it through the universe,” Ret. Chief Knott says, “is that woman right there.”

Together, the Knotts have passed their legacy in emergency services on to countless youngsters, including their son, Henry, a mate with Hornbeck Offshore Services who also serves as Captain and Training Officer for GVFD. “Dad’s time in fire service influenced me in many ways. It taught me that, even on the hottest days, you’re still going to pack up and attack the fire because that’s what needs to be done,” Captain Knott says. “It taught me hard work and preparedness so we are ready to respond when called upon to help people on their hardest days. His time as a first responder above all has introduced me to a group of people who are always ready and willing to drop what they are doing to help their neighbors. I’m grateful to be a part of this community.”

GVFD meetings are held at 7:00 pm every Tuesday at the Groton Fire Station. Anyone interested in learning more about fire service is invited to attend a meeting and/or talk with a member of the department.
Longtime Groton Fire Chief Wayne Knott (R) recently retired after a 57-year career in fire service. He has enjoyed sharing his passion for firefighting and emergency services with his son, Henry (L), who currently serves as Captain and Training Officer, and his wife, Dorothy (center), who is a Level 1 firefighter and dispatcher for the department. The Bridge Weekly/Trish Griswold

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