Role as NK Fire Chief a lifetime in the making for Linacre

At a young age, Linacre came to understand that firefighters aren’t just entertainment for kids —-they’re heroes, and he came from a long line of those kinds of heroes. His father, his grandfather, his great grandfather, and his great grandfather were all firefighters.

“I can always remember as a young child, particularly at my grandmother’s house, I could hear the firetruck coming,” Linacre said. “The minute it started up, I could hear it. We lived in a triple decker on the top floor and I used to run from the kitchen in the back of the house all the way up to the front door window so I could see the fire truck.”

Before he decided he wanted to be a firefighter, he chose to join the Navy and remained in the U.S. reserves until his retirement. He also enrolled in Norwich University in Vermont to study computer science around that time. But a few years in, that’s when he began to feel the call.

“I got to junior year and I was still taking classes and I was like, you know what? No. I really want to be a firefighter,” he said. “I had always drove past the stations in North Kingstown and I thought to myself that one day, I’m gonna be a North Kingstown firefighter.”

Linacre ended up risking everything, even dropping out of school to pursue his rekindled passion for firefighters and the work they do. Luckily, it was the most rewarding risk he ever took.

Looking back over all the various fires and other emergencies he’s been called to, there’s one unusual incident that stands out to Linacre. About 15 years ago, the department was called to the shipyard area of Quonset where multiple people were apparently trapped below deck on a barge. They had been overcome with toxic fumes and were in danger of dying quickly if they weren’t extricated in time.

“It’s not something that we’re used to day in and day out so it was very technical,” Linacre said.

Thankfully, Linacre’s most unusual story also has one of the department’s most positive outcomes to date. The two people they rescued not only survived, but made a full recovery without any permanent respiratory damage. He received the North Kingstown Rotary Club “Firefighter of the Year Award” in 2012 for his actions in that rescue.

Linacre says it’s all about moderation when it comes to his leadership style; not too strict, but not too lenient either. He says he wants to be that steady pillar of support for everyone.

The rest of Linacre’s resume exemplifies his loyalty and reliability. As a U.S. Navy officer, he earned several prestigious awards, including the 4th Marine Division’s Sailor of the Year in 2003. He was deployed for almost all of that year. He also served as a field medic for 16 years.

“Chief Linacre is knowledgeable and experienced; his respect within our Fire Department is not to be overlooked,” Town Manager Ralph Mollis said of his appointment of Linacre as Fire Chief, “I have been immensely impressed by John in what was a productive and successful turnover of the leadership of the Department following Chief Kettelle’s retirement. I very much look forward to what he will accomplish as our Fire Chief.”