Assistant chief retires after 35 years

The assistant fire chief plans to have an active retirement.
By JEANNE STARMACK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Everybody still slogging through their workdays thinks about it -- some day, I'll retire. I'll sleep late. I'll do what I want, when I want.
For Bill O'Hara, 59, who's been with the Austintown Fire Department for 35 years, that day arrived Friday. And he's having trouble believing it.
"That's why you work all those years, for retirement," he said. "But wow, it's here already. But I am looking forward to it."
Last week, however, was still a workweek. In his office Tuesday at Fire Station No. 1 on Route 46, the assistant chief was busy clearing up paperwork and trying to make it easy for someone to step in where he leaves off. He planned to work a full day Friday.
He smiled when he thought back on his 35 years with the department.
"It's been a good career," he said.
He started as a part-time rookie, he said, and after 10 years, became full-time. He became a lieutenant, a captain, then in 1993, assistant chief.
He's come almost full circle, he said, doing every job but chief.
Changes through the years
He's seen a lot of changes, such as the development of equipment that has helped make a firefighter's job safer.
But one change was disappointing. "Used to be we rode the back of the firetruck," he said. "It was a big thrill for us -- we're all a bunch of big kids. Now, you have to be in seats with seat belts, like everyone else."
O'Hara's best memories center on his work throughout the years with kids.
"Teaching kids fire safety at schools. That was always a joy."
He recalled one 5-year-old who, after being in one of his fire-safety classes, helped lead his family out of the house safely when it caught fire a week later.
And for 15 years, he helped lead an Explorer post. Now he's proud that several of its members went on to become firefighters -- some at Austintown.
Certainly, not all memories are pleasant. "Since I've been on, only about four or five people have died in fires," he said. "But that's always sad when someone loses their life."
The biggest fire he was involved in was the Century 21 Paint store blaze, which shut the company down in August 1998. He said that fire started out small. "When we got there, the place exploded. No one got hurt -- a miracle in itself."
O'Hara said he's going to miss his co-workers: "'Cause we are such a tight family."
Plenty to keep busy
But he plans to stay active. "I'm sure I'll stay home a day or two, but I won't make a habit of it," he said. "Sleeping in every day isn't me."
He intends to continue working for a committee that's overseeing a 9/11 memorial for the Mahoning Valley, which will be on South Raccoon Road.
He's active at the Wickliffe Presbyterian Church.
He'll keep up with his Department 56 Snow Village collection. Fifty buildings that light up are on display on shelves in his family room.
He likes to paint plaster craft items, and he collects fire memorabilia.
And he'll enjoy working in the yard at his home on North Edgehill Avenue where he lives with his wife, Nancy.
Retirement, he said, is going to be an adjustment. "No doubt about it."
"I'll never forget. Hopefully, I've helped save someone's life somewhere along the line. It's been a good job."