The final bell of Rob Jackson’s service for the Wilton Fire Department rang out Wednesday night, as the deputy chief was honored following his death on Dec. 7 at the age of 65.
Wilton firefighters, dressed in full gear, assembled in front of the open bay doors of their garage while the lights on their trucks lit up the dark road. They were joined by members of the Rindge Fire Department, for whom Jackson used to serve.
When the limousine carrying Jackson’s remains arrived, escorted by Wilton Police, Rindge Police and New Hampshire State Police, the line of firefighters saluted and Capt. Tom Staiti stepped forward to ring the bell signifying the ceremonial end of Jackson’s final shift.
“It’s not a big thing, but it’s very meaningful for the family,” said Tom Green, a firefighter with the Bedford Fire Department who works with the Granite State Fire Service Support Team, which provides assistance and support to emergency response agencies in the event of a death.
The ceremony was also put on and supported by the Wilton Fire Auxiliary.
“Anything you can do for the families,” Green said. “And the fire department’s a big family, it really is.”
Jackson was visiting with family in Arizona when he died, and his remains were escorted home by his daughter Stephanie. En route from Logan Airport in Boston, they received a Massachusetts State Police escort to the state line.
Jackson began serving with the Wilton department essentially due to happenstance, according to Wilton Fire Chief Don Nourse.
Nourse explained that he was driving by Jackson’s house when Jackson’s dog was in the street. He stopped and offered to help, and during their conversation, Nourse learned of Jackson’s more than 25 years of experience in the Fitzwilliams, Rindge and Meadowood fire departments.
“It was just kind of a meeting by chance,” he said.
Jackson joined the Wilton department in October 2020, serving as deputy chief. Nourse said Jackson supervised firefighters and helped with training, including formalizing the department’s driver-training program.
He also said Jackson was a great mentor for him, and was thankful that the Wilton department took him in.
“Obviously, we are devastated by his passing,” Nourse said. “He was a great person, great individual. He was a very humble person, loved the fire service, loved helping people. We were very, very blessed to have him.”
Randy Bosse, another Wilton firefighter, said that although Jackson’s tenure with the department was short, he’d be missed.
“Sad to see him go,” Bosse said. “Sad to see any of us go.”
Steve Robblee, a retired ski patrolman who knew Jackson from his time serving on the ski patrol at Temple and Crotched mountains, joined the firefighters in the line outside the bay doors.
“He was a good man,” he said. “A very good skier.”
Robblee noted that partway through the ceremony, it began to snow.
“Kind of ironic,” he said. “It’s starting to snow, and he loved to ski, isn’t that pretty crazy?”
Bill Fonda contributed to this story.