My family moved to Chillicothe in 1966 from Norfolk, Virginia. I attended Pearce Grade School and graduated from IVC High School in 1972. After graduation, I married a few times and have two daughters and two sons. I worked at Caterpillar for 36 years, retiring in 2009. 

I never desired to be a firefighter, even as a child. However, I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie. During high school, two of my very good friends, Jerry Myers and Rodger Atkins, were recruits for the fire department. On Monday nights, they were never available to do anything because they were attending meetings at the firehouse. So, I decided to go to one of the meetings with them. After that meeting, I decided this was something I could do. I joined the Chillicothe Fire Department in the spring of 1974. 

During the strikes/layoffs at Caterpillar in 1989, I was available for daytime calls for the fire department with the help of my friend Vicki Owens, who lived around the corner from me. She listened to the scanner, and when she heard a fire call, she would be outside waiting for me to come around the corner to hand off my infant son in his car seat so I could go on the fire call. My infant son that I am referring to is Kevin Schmidt. Who is a captain for the Chillicothe Community Fire Protection District. 

I wasn’t aware of how hooked on firefighting I was until I built my home in the 70s; during construction, I ran a wire from my bedroom to the garage, which would open my garage door from my bedroom. So if there was a fire call, I could hit the button in the bedroom, and by the time I got to the garage, the door was open, and I could head to the firehouse as quickly as possible. Do not ask how many tricycles or toys were destroyed by my quick exits to the firehouse. 

After retiring from Caterpillar, I was available to assist in manning the station during the daytime hours and was able to go on fire and medical calls when COVID hit; the Fire Protection Board and Chief Marvin Roderick decided that we needed two firefighters at the firehouse 24/7 Because of the pending uncertainties. We served 12-hour shifts for the first year. 

I retired from Chillicothe Community Fire Protection District in April 2022. After 48 years of service as Assistant Fire Chief. Do I miss it? You betcha. Remember, I love that adrenaline rush. However, I am still on the roster and volunteer for maintenance, representing the fire department, and nonemergency functions.

At 20 years old, I decided to serve my community for all those years and felt privileged to do so. My advice for anyone considering joining the firefighting family of Chillicothe is do it! Your hometown needs you.