May 17, 2012Deputy Fire Chief Hedlund Retirement
City Deputy Fire Chief To Retire After 32 Years On The Job
From The Post-Journal
By Kristen Johnson
You can take the man out of the department - but you can't take the department out of the man.
The old adage about retiring or retired firefighters and police officers seems to hold especially true for Lance Hedlund, the city's deputy fire chief, who has announced his retirement after more than 32 years working for the Jamestown Fire Department.
Hedlund's retirement will be effective Friday.
''It seems quick, but I've been exploring this for awhile,'' Hedlund said. ''My wife and I have talked about it and I spoke with the mayor about it. It's not something you do on a minute-to-minute basis. You plan for it. I checked into a few things, as people do, and made my decision. Ultimately, it's just time.''
That it may be. As firefighters put it, Hedlund has ''ridden backwards in the truck,'' a colloquialism that speaks to his years of experience. He was hired by the JFD in October 1977 as a firefighter. By 1984, he'd earned a promotion to lieutenant, which was quickly followed by promotions to captain in 1986 and to assistant chief in 1989.
In 1999, he was appointed deputy chief, a position that was in 2001 made the highest administrative position in the department after a reorganization.
Over the years, Hedlund said he's seen his fair share of changes to the profession.
Perhaps the most telling is this: when he began work with the JFD, the department responded to medical calls only if the private ambulance companies in Jamestown needed backup. Such calls amounted to perhaps 50 a year, he said. But now, the department responds to medical calls with such regularity that the department responds to about 3,500 such calls a year.
''I saw the advent of hazardous materials training and suppression,'' he said. ''When I got started, the profession was just beginning to get a sense of not only what a hazardous material was, but how to combat it from a fire suppression standpoint. I've watched the fire investigation part of things evolve from a simple question: 'Hey, what do you think started it?' to a forensic science.''
During Hedlund's tenure, the JPD has undergone a dramatic reduction in manpower. It has had to reinvent itself as building materials have changed - not something about which the public typically thinks, but important for a firefighter.
''It used to be that everything was basically wood,'' Hedlund said. ''Now, you've got a lot of these lightweight products that are petroleum-based. That means they're going to burn a lot hotter and faster than anything we were used to back in the day.''
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have not only become commonplace during Hedlund's career, they have become requirements for homes. There have been dramatic changes in fire suppression technology, fire apparatus and fire gear.
A self-described ''busy body,'' Hedlund said he would likely take a little time off to ''rejuvenate and recharge.'' But after that, it's full steam ahead.
''I have a couple things in the wings - nothing official or definite yet - just a lot of things I want to get done and a lot of opportunities I want to explore,'' he said.
Hedlund, who also said he is ''not a big fanfare person,'' was nevertheless presented with a plaque and a letter thanking him for his ''dedicated, valuable service to the city'' by Mayor Sam Teresi, who called him a ''valuable member'' of the city's workforce.
City Councilman Mike Taylor, D-Ward 3, and City Councilman Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2, both thanked Hedlund for his service.
''Your successor has big shoes to fill,'' Taylor said. ''Thank you for your service. You will be missed.''