Published: October 10, 2008 10:20 pm      

Remembering the years

Retired Logansport firefighter Steve Shafer speaks of the good, the bad and the funny.

For 27 years, Steve Shafer sprung into action at the sound an alarm bell and rushed to the aid of others without hesitation. He, like most other firefighters, did not consider himself a hero.

“We don’t look at ourselves as being heroes or being heroic,” Shafer said. “We just look at ourselves as doing the job that we love to do.”

This past June, Shafer retired from the Logansport Fire Department after reaching the rank of assistant chief. At the request of the Pharos-Tribune, he returned to the central fire station at Seventh and High streets and spoke about his experiences as a firefighter — the close calls, the calls that made him laugh and the public’s perception of firefighters.

To Shafer, being a firefighter meant being there for the public on a variety of levels, but mostly to provide help.

“When somebody doesn’t know who to call, they call the fire station,” Shafer said.

In the time before an animal control officer, firefighters were often called to pluck cats from trees and a number of other jobs requiring a tall ladder. Shafer remembered the call from a homeowner whose pet parakeet had escaped into the outdoors.

Firefighters could see the bird in a tree but were unable to capture it because unlike children, the bird was untrusting of firefighters.

“We were never successful doing it,” Shafer said with a laugh. “Every time you put a ladder to it, it would fly off.”

Another request to get an animal from a tree involved an iguana. To resolve that issue, firefighters shook the tree until the large lizard fell into a blanket stretched out tight below.

“The general public looks at us as somebody they can trust, somebody they know is going to help them,” Shafer said. “No matter what kind of problem they have.”

Part of their job duties is educating the public, whether it’s presentations on fire safety at local schools or touring with the Smoke House, which puts children in a life-like situation of a smoke-filled room.

Over the years, Shafer has given a number of talks to a child brought in by parents because he or she was caught playing with matches or a lighter.

Being a firefighter is not all about running into burning buildings and risking injury or death. On the contrary, their training determines what situations they get into, and safety is always the No. 1 factor.

“We’re trained to do what we do,” Shafer said. “Hopefully, when the situation comes up, all that training kicks in. Despite our adrenaline really pumping, it’s controlled.”

By looking at a house ablaze, firefighters can determine whether they can safely enter the structure or wait until the flames are knocked down.

“What makes it hard is when that house is totally involved and you know someone’s in there, but you can’t go in,” Shafer said. “That’s the hardest part of our job.”

But there is a reason for avoiding risky action.

“If we get hurt, we can’t do anyone else any good,” Shafer said. “We have to be safe about everything we do.”

Training and preparation are things the firefighters do everyday. That goes for every firefighter.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a new guy or if you have 35 years,” Shafer said.

The goal is to make the training second nature.

“It’s things you have to keep working at so when the bell does ring, your mind doesn’t go blank. It automatically kicks in as to what you need to do,” Shafer said.

Shafer’s interest in the job began at the prompting of his father, who was a police officer. He stuck with it so long for one simple reason.

“I love the job,” he said.

Throughout his career, Shafer had many memorable experiences, including the Cole Hardwood fire, which he fought for several days.

One of the more interesting fire runs he went on was to a residence on Delaware Road.

“It was my brother’s house,” said Shafer. “... That’s always one of our biggest fears is responding to an accident or fire and a member of our family is involved.”

Any accident or fire involving children really takes it toll on many firefighters, Shafer explained.

“That’s the worst part of this job,” Shafer said. “It’s bad enough with adults, but when kids are involved, it’s really tough to take.”

After responding to accidents or fires where people die, firefighters talk about it amongst themselves. Emergency Medical Service personnel also stop by to comfort them.

Shafer has had a few close calls while battling blazes. One in particular stuck out. While pulling ceiling down in search of fire inside a burning house on Nottingham Way, he heard the airhorn blow, which means all firefighters must exit immediately. He and another firefighter bolted from the place. On the way out, Shafer wondered why they were being called out. When he exited, he turned to face the house.

“We got out and looked back. The whole thing was just blooming. The next thing you know it falls in,” Shafer said.

Danger is part of job. That’s why safety is so important. Shafer noted that many changes in the approach to safety have been implemented.

Today, firefighters must use a self-contained breathing apparatus when fighting fires, even trash fires. In years past, most firefighters never wore that equipment.

“You were more of a man if you could go in and eat all that smoke and fight that fire,” Shafer said.

That attitude has changed, though, Shafer said.

“There are too many things burning out there nowadays,” he said.

Along with better, more protective gear, the fire department has a thermal imaging camera that allows firefighters to detect heat sources through walls and smoke-filled rooms.

When asked if he misses the job after more than three months of retirement, he admitted he does. He was appointed captain after seven years on the department. In the last nine years, three mayoral administrations have appointed him assistant chief.

“I loved every minute of it. It was a good job,” Shafer said.

Over his career, he met many good people and formed friendships with police, EMS and fellow firefighters.

One of those firefighters is Mike Woolington, a 21-year veteran of the Logansport Fire Department who replaced Shafer as assistant chief.

“I’ve always respected him for the job he did,” Woolington said. “We’ve always been friends, and we’ve always done a lot of talking. I feel honored to just follow in his footsteps and try to do the job that I felt like he did.”

Shafer is enjoying retirement, though. When asked what he was up to, he simply said, “Enjoying life.”

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com