Special to IFN

Veteran firefighter and public servant Jaime Waiwaiole has officially retired after a nearly four decade career in the fire service. 

Waiwaiole’s last day with Troutman Fire & Rescue was May 30, ending a nine-year stint with that agency.

His career began in January of 1986 when Waiwaiole was hired as a firefighter with the Statesville Fire Department. He served the citizens of Statesville and the SFD for 30 years. Along the way, he made numerous contributions to the department, while rising to the rank of lieutenant and earning a reputation as a very competent fire service professional.

In August of 2016, Waiwaiole decided to retire from the SFD. At that time, he was also working as a part-time firefighter for Troutman Fire & Rescue. After his first retirement, he was hired by Troutman Fire & Rescue as a full-time engineer to help that agency keep up with the growth of the fire district and the increasing call demand.

“Jaime has been very instrumental in training the younger generation of firefighters on apparatus driving and fire pump operations,” Troutman Fire & Rescue said in a news release. “Jaime will be missed by all that have worked with him all these years, and we wish the best in his retirement years.”