Local firefighter recognized for his 50 years of service

Sunday, April 23, 2017
Banner Graphic/CHELSEA MODGLINFire Chief Rick Cooper presents Bob Nichols with a plaque Sunday at the Jefferson Township Fire Station.

BELLE UNION -- Volunteer firefighter Robert “Bob” Nichols, 70, of Belle Union, was greeted with a surprise party on Sunday in celebration of his 50 years at the Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Department (JTVFD).

“Anybody who knows Bobby knows what an asset he is to the community,” Fire Chief Rick Cooper said. “He started this department actually, as a kid helping his dad. So he’s probably got closer to 60 years, we guess.”

Nichols’ dad, Alonzo, was also a firefighter with JTVFD for 60 years, and Nichols remembers helping carry the bricks while the station was being built and finally finished in 1958. He also remembered that the first firetruck was a 1926 Mack truck.

Firefighting is something that just seems to run in the Nichols’ family. Older brother Floyd Nichols served 10 years at the Greencastle Fire Department, and Uncle Max Nichols also served 10 years at JTVFD and was present for his nephew’s retirement party. But family wasn’t the only thing that inspired Nichols to follow in their footsteps.

“It made me interested after I got out of the service,” Nichols said. “I’m a Marine Corps Vietnam vet. I lost quite a few friends. It kind of pushed me toward this here.”

In addition to the surprise party, JTVFD presented Nichols with a plaque and a framed box of mementos. He also received a large glass mug from township residents Terry and Yvonne Clifford.

“It’s not very often, especially in our little township, that you have somebody stay with a volunteer project for 50 years,” Fire Chief Cooper said. “It’s just unbelievable. We just wanted to say thank you.”

Nichols was also recognized by Mike Davies, the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department fire chief, who recounted a time when Nichols went the extra mile to help put out a structure fire.

“It was muddier than heck,” Fire Chief Davies said. “Fillmore’s truck was in the driveway; Greencastle’s truck was on the county road. I really needed a hose around the back of the house. Bob brought Jefferson Township’s engine, and I asked him if there was any way he could get up to that gravel lane just south of the house. And he said, ‘No problem!’ When I turned around he was backing up 300 yards or more.

“Next thing I know, I hear that truck coming. And that truck was in a hurry. It made a 90-degree turn on that gravel, and he shot 300 or 400 feet past the gravel until the tires were spinning but the truck wasn’t moving. He got out, started the pump up, we pulled the hoses -- it couldn’t have been more perfect. I said, ‘You know I planned on you stopping in the gravel.’ It goes to show that no matter what you ask him to do, he’s going to give it 100 percent, always has.”

The Greencastle Fire Department was also there, represented by Christy Miller, who baked the cake for the occasion.

Although Nichols was reluctant to share stories with the whole room, he did later recount one.

“There was a grass fire over here on 40 and a hose drill busted,” Nichols said. “And I looked up to see what it was, and they turned the hose back on, and my hat went spinning up in the air and flew off. I can tell you that one.”

Nichols will also receive a lifetime membership and 50-year gold pin from the Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association.

Nichols was praised by his sister, Patty Jones, and his wife, Linda, who said that being a firefighter’s wife is “just another day.”

“He’s usually really cautious and watches what he does,” Linda said. “He’d rather go in a building than have a kid go in the building.”

Also recognized during the party were four others with impressive service records: Jeff Perry (25 years), Andrea Shoffner (17 years), Steve Hoffner (18 years) and Todd Crosby.

There’ll be no more going on runs for Nichols, but he does plan to stick around the station and come to the meetings.

“We’ll certainly miss him around here on runs,” Fire Chief Cooper said, “but that doesn’t mean he can’t come down here and work. You can still come to the meetings and voice your opinion. I probably shouldn’t have told him that.”

When asked what his favorite thing about being a firefighter at JTVFD has been, Nichols said, “The people. There’s some good people around here. But somebody had to do it.”

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