Zach Noble always knew he wanted to be a firefighter. He would ride shotgun in an ambulance with his grandfather and was rolling hoses as a toddler.
For his 14th birthday, all he wanted was an application to join the fire department, his father Scott Noble said. Zach Noble started as a junior firefighter and joined the on-call Pittsfield Fire Department full time after he graduated from high school.
Noble, 27, died Oct. 17 of a cardiac event while exercising at Maine Central Institute’s track in Pittsfield. He was an MCI graduate.
Getting the news from fire chief Bernard Williams was one of the hardest things ever, Scott Noble said Tuesday. Zach was not only Scott’s own kid, but he was also like a son to Williams.
The family is still reeling from Noble’s death and are taking it minute-by-minute.
“The short of it is one step and one breath,” Scott Noble said. “Take a step, take a breath. Listen to the stories that people tell and remember the good, which is really easy with a kid like that.”
Zach Noble worked for the Kennebec Water District and he also joined Unity Ambulance Corp., where he spent years as a driver. When his stepbrother joined, Noble took the time to teach him how to drive the ambulance, his stepmother Karen Noble said.
Zach Noble was certified this year as an emergency medical technician. Some people collect baseball cards, but Noble collected certifications, his dad said. They found a binder full of his certifications after his death while going through his belongings.
He was working on an application to join the Waterville Fire Department at the time of his death so he could be a full time firefighter.
He was a rugged man and never hesitated to help, even with the heavy lifting, Scott Noble said. When his grandfather was sick, Zach Noble stepped up, helping lift him whenever he fell.
“He was rugged but he was gentle and kind,” Karen Noble said.
“He was a gentle giant,” his brother Hunter Noble added.
It was hard to stay mad at Zach Noble or discipline him when he was a child, Scott Noble said. He would know when he did something wrong, but he always had a grin on his face and would do what he could to make everyone happy.
One year, Zach Noble’s parents were called to school because he was being suspended. His parents learned that he had beat up the bully of another child. His teacher wasn’t stepping in and Noble wanted to help the child, Scott Noble said.
“He wants to help people,” Scott Noble said. “That was just who he was.”
Zach Noble left an impression on everyone he met, with around 200 people showing up to his visitation, Karen Noble said.
“No matter what he was doing, he was making a difference in somebody’s life, making it better,” she said.
If Zach Noble was still here, he would be encouraging more people to become first responders. That’s why his family is creating a scholarship program for people who want to work in emergency medicine services.
“That’s why we’re so intent on a scholarship fund and being able to help people go into that field,” Karen Noble said. “In my opinion, it’s going to take a lot of recruiting in those fields to replace Zach.”
People can donate through GoFundMe or mail a check in care of Chief Bernard Williams, 115 First St., Pittsfield, ME 04967.
A firefighter’s funeral is scheduled for noon Saturday. It will start with a ceremony at Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home and will have a last ride then a committal at the Village Cemetery.
