‘Never backed down’: Milford’s Carlisle Fire Co. names first Black chief

Donning an air mask and heading into a blaze without hesitation, hose in hand — that’s one way to earn respect as the newest volunteer in your fire department.

Such was the case for Shawn Hinton in 2004, when he joined the Carlisle Fire Co. in Milford as a 17-year-old junior firefighter, according to Charles Vanaman, chief of the agency at the time.