NORTH HAMPTON - The town voted to hire four new firefighters at last year’s Town Meeting, but they are not merely numbers on a budget. They are individuals devoted to aiding the residents of North Hampton.

Shean Gray came to the department from the Newington Fire Department in August.

Gray previously worked for American Airlines as a mechanic, and he has his own carpentry business. He has been a firefighter since 1995.

He prefers firefighting to his previous jobs, though the transition was initially difficult for his wife.

"I get more out of it by helping somebody, and seeing that I’ve helped somebody," he said.

Gray, 35, grew up in Hampton, where his parents still live. He lives with his wife and children in Greenland.

He must go through the same one-year probationary training period all new firefighters participate in.

"Even if you’ve got 20 years on the job," he said, every new hire must learn the ropes of each particular department.

Asked about his favorite part of his new job in North Hampton, he said, "Coming to work. It’s all good," adding, "We do a little bit of everything here.

"If it’s a fire, you’re on the engine. If it’s a medical emergency, you’re in the ambulance. You’re not tied to the ambulance like you are in some departments" until you gain seniority, he said.

"Every call is different, which is good," he said, "so you really can’t get stuck in a routine."

Moving to North Hampton hasn’t been tough at all, he said. "I have a bunch of friends in the department," he said.

Gray has known several of the North Hampton firefighters for years through mutual aid calls when many departments respond to the same scene.

"It’s exactly what I was looking for," he said of his new home. He likes the fact that firefighters here are rigorously tested on the entire range of their training.

"It keeps you on your toes," he said. "A good firefighter is a smart firefighter. And a smart firefighter is somebody who keeps up with training all the time."

"You see a lot from this town," he said. "It’s not a big city department, but it fits my need. The call volume is just right. That’s what attracted me here - and the group of guys that are here."

Gray looks forward to spending the rest of his career in North Hampton.

He was added to the department after voters chose to increase staffing levels to ensure three firefighters are on duty at all times.

Fire Chief Tom Lambert said this staffing leve* makes our initial response time a lot more efficient and effective. It really is comforting to have that extra guy here to be able to plan what you’re going to do and have that tactical response."

The best part about the job, Gray said, is "going home safe. I have a son who’s 3 that meets me at the door as soon as I get home."

He has three children.

"I got a 5-month-old. In due time, he’ll be doing the same thing."

Typically modest for a firefighter, he said, "Anything else rewarding-wise is just part of the job. I’m really not out to try to be a hero. We’re just doing what we do and helping people."