Longtime Burton firefighter retires after decades of service

BURTON, Sc. (WTOC) - The Burton Fire District is honoring one of its longtime firefighters as he retires after 25 years of service.

Engineer Guido Portela officially retired from the department after serving the citizens of Burton and Beaufort County since 2001.

Portela moved to South Carolina from Puerto Rico in 1990 and began as a volunteer firefighter with the Burton Fire District before quickly being hired as a career firefighter just one month later.

Throughout his career, Portela became known as a mentor to younger firefighters and officers, as well as a dependable presence during emergency calls and major incidents, including the 2007 Blue Angels jet crash. He was also named the 2024 Shift I Firefighter of the Year by members of his shift.

Fire leaders say Portela played many roles within the department over the years, from using his mechanical skills to helping serve the Hispanic community as a translator.

“If you worked in a fire station with Guido you knew you were in for a good meal,” Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Byrne said while reflecting on Portela’s well-known cooking skills and mentorship.

Burton Fire Chief Harry Rountree said Portela’s retirement is bittersweet after watching him grow both professionally and personally over the last two decades.

“We congratulate the Portela family and thank them for all their years of service, and all the family sacrifices they have made for our citizens over these 25 years,” Rountree said.

A retirement celebration for Portela will be held May 24 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Naval Heritage Park in Port Royal. The event is open to the media.