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Longtime Lemoore volunteer firefighter and fire chief, Bruce German bids fond farewell as department's fire chief
Longtime fireman David Jones, a Lemoore native and a fireman with over 31 years of experience as a fireman and recently the department’s first assistant chief, will take on the department’s top spot as chief. He’ll be flanked by his first assistant chief, Chris Schalde (24 years on the job), and second assistant chief, Ricky Borba, with 18 years as a volunteer fireman.
German’s official retirement date was January 10. “That was our business night,” he told The Leader. “I turned my (retirement) letter in, and they “made” Dave Jones the new fire chief. He was 21 when he entered the fire department,” said German, a 35-year veteran of the local volunteer fire department, having joined the local fire department in April of 1988 – when Ronald Reagan was president.
“He’s got 31 years in,” said German of the new fire chief, Jones. “He was the first assistant chief, and Schalde the second assistant chief.”
Former longtime fireman and former chief Norm Garcia convinced German to join the Lemoore Volunteer Fire Department and accepted Garcia’s request to join the Lemoore firefighters in 1988. “Norm and Mickey Oliveira got me in,” he recalled.
German officially joined his fellow firefighters in April of 1988, and during his 35-year term, he became an engineer, then an EMT. His term as chief lasted five years, which he said is a normal term for a volunteer fireman. Mandatory retirement is 65, but he served until he was 67 years old.
German, during his tenure, led a cohesive unit of 35 firefighters who, in the last year alone, responded to at least 2,221 calls for service, a remarkable number considering Lemoore is a volunteer unit.
The Lemoore Volunteer Fire Department has certainly grown during his years as a volunteer firefighter and then chief.
Just recently, Lemoore’s elected representatives helped the local department fund a new truck that will help firefighters do their jobs more efficiently.
“We’re waiting for our funding from the state for a new truck, an air-supply truck,” said German. The new truck comes with a built-in air compressor that will aid firefighters in their fire-fighting capabilities. Instead of replacing air bottles by returning them to the fire station, their new truck will have a built-in air compressor that will enable firefights to fill up their air tanks on the scene.
“Now, without it, we throw our bottles and take them back to the fire station,” said German. “We’re calling it a rehabilitation truck. Besides filling air bottles, it will have all the necessary equipment to assist firefighters in their jobs as they fight fires. This truck will allow us to have the equipment to fight fires at a new level and allow tired firefighters to reenergize themselves.”
Lemoore’s fire department certainly keeps busy. German told The Leader that over his 35-year career, local firefighters have responded to 18,864 calls over the last 35 years.
“When I first got in, we were doing 250 calls a year, and this last year we did 2,221 calls.”
How does he fill in his time? He worked in the ag industry for many years. “I’m kind of retired now,” he said. But for now, he will no doubt spend time with his wife Denise, son Jake, and daughter Jessica, and no doubt his fellow firefighters will no doubt remind him that he will always have a home away from home with the Lemoore Volunteer Fire Department.
