MEXICO – Ray Broomhall didn’t have the slightest idea that he’d be the honored guest at last week’s annual Maine State Federation of Firefighters convention in York Beach. He attended the event as he usually does.

When his name was called, he was shocked.

“I didn’t have a clue,” said the 45-year veteran of the Mexico Fire Department. His colleagues at the Main Street fire station were really good at keeping it a secret for several weeks.

Broomhall, 71, was easy to choose, said Richard Cyr, president of the federation.

“He’s quite an outstanding firefighter. He started at the bottom and worked up to deputy chief, he leads fire prevention programs and trains new guys in the department. It would have been hard not to give the award to him,” Cyr said Thursday afternoon.

He said a committee within the federation reviews each application, then makes a decision. The Firefighter of the Year is given a plaque and a banquet.

“Mexico is a real good fire department,” Cyr said.

Broomhall, a graduate of Stephens High School in Rumford, was an occasional volunteer for the Rumford Fire Department before he married Judy Whytock and moved to Mexico more than 45 years ago.

His father-in-law, Scotty Whytock, had been a Mexico fire chief. Broomhall’s son-in-law, Ed Carey, is a call member of the Mexico Fire Department and a full-time firefighter for the Rumford Fire Department. His great-nephew, Chris Bryant, also is a full-time firefighter for Rumford, and another nephew, Christopher Whytock, is a full-time firefighter for Rockland.

Being a firefighter is a part of Broomhall’s view on life. He has also been active for years with the Chisholm Ski Club, helps with the town’s annual Easter egg hunt and Christmas parade, coaches sports at the high school, and belongs to civic organizations.

Firefighting is special, though.

“You’ve got to help people. You never know when you have to save a life,” he said Thursday afternoon.

Over the years, he has seen many changes in local fire departments, most prominently, the amount of paperwork that must be taken care of for the state and federal governments. He had declined the offer of becoming the department’s fire chief several times because of the mounds of paperwork that must be completed.

And that, along with more and more regulations, he fears will affect recruitment for volunteer firefighters.

“I think they will have a hard time finding volunteers with all those rules and regulations,” he said.

He had planned to leave the fire department in February, the 45th anniversary of his membership, but now he’s rethinking the idea.

Marc Mayo, a Mexico firefighter, said he expects Broomhall to still be fighting fires and organizing emergency coverage when he’s 100.

Broomhall’s fire department nominated him for the honor.

According to the letter submitted to the federation, “Ray, as we all know him by, has a heart of gold. He is always there whenever he sees the need or is asked by others to help. He gets the job done. His energy, stamina and the time commitment amazes everyone. The younger guys and gals in the department look up to him as a father figure, but most of all, as their mentor.”