Retiring fire captain honored for service

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

After nearly three decades of fighting fires and treating victims, Fire Captain Roger Wurst was honored during a retirement reception held Monday afternoon in Van Wert City Council Chambers.

Wurst, a Delphos resident who was formerly a medic and firefighter for that city’s fire department before coming to Van Wert, received his “lid” (helmet) from Fire Chief Jim Steele, who also stated his opinion that being a fire captain was the best job in the department.

“Captains have the best job in the fire service, no doubt, bar none,” Chief Steele said. “They have the most responsibility, but it’s one of the best jobs to ever have.”

The fire chief also presented Wurst with the traditional gold watch that goes with retirement from the fire department, and also thanked the retiring captain for his faithful service, noting that Wurst rarely used sick time.

Wurst’s replacement as fire captain, Craig King, also presented his former captain with a plaque from the firefighters union in honor of his retirement. King, who was Wurst’s lieutenant, was recently promoted to captain, while firefighter David Cummings was moved into King’s old job as fire lieutenant.

The retiring fire captain joked that he didn’t know why retirees were always given a watch, because “I don’t care what time it is.”

He also had fond words for his fellow firefighters, especially those who served on the shift he supervised.

“You’re just like trained thoroughbreds,” Wurst said of his shift of firefighters. “Keep the reins and let ‘em go.”

Wurst joined the Van Wert Fire Department on April 9, 1984, under then-Fire Chief Ron Rank. He served as a firefighter for seven years prior to his appointment as a lieutenant in October 1991. He was promoted to captain on September 12, 2007.