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When Chester goes, I go!
It's going quick. I have six more wake-ups. Said differently, six more times to put on the uniform. There's a lot going through my head.
What am I forgetting? That's why in the first Blog a week or so ago, I asked for any help or suggestions. I have never retired before - yet alone retired and also moved away from the city I was born in.
Almost everything I had on my walls in my office is gone. I had 10 or so articles that I wrote for Fire Engineering that I had framed. Two Book covers. A few plaques from my stint as President of the Toledo Fire Chiefs Association and one honoring me as honorary Dean of the Ohio State Fire School. A large picture of a fire in Toledo in 1894 where Capt. Frazier died and no trace of him was ever found. A blueprint of fire department tools copyrighted in 1930 something. All of these are now gone and waiting for me to put up in my new office at home. There's only one thing left on the wall.
But what else? I need to turn in my SCBA and facepiece. Check with the pension board to make sure they know where to send my "pension" check. I've notified everyone I can think of of my change of address and I'm beginning to visit stations to say goodbye to those who I worked with. But I know I'm forgetting something.
If you can think of anything, please let me know. Oh! By the way, The one thing left on my wall is a picture of my dad when he was a Lieutenant on # 1 Squad. He'll be the last thing I take from my office on my last day. When Chester goes, I go!

posted by Skip Coleman
 11/19/2007 05:08:00 PM

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4 Comments:

Blogger Kevin Coleman said...

He was a great dad and you are a great brother. Congrats on your retirement and a job well done.

Your little bro, KC

Tue Nov 20, 02:46:00 PM EST  
Blogger Bobby Halton said...

Hey Brother Chester would be proud of his boy! I am proud to call you my friend. I know we will see more of you now that you are joining us old retired guys. I gotta tell ya getting paid to keep breathing aint so bad! Keep teaching, speaking and traveling the country making the fireground a safer place. But more importantly making every life you touch a little richer. You are a firefighters firefighter always have been and always will be.
Your friend
Bobby

Tue Nov 20, 09:23:00 PM EST  
Blogger Dan Bodette said...

I saw Bob Pflager (former dispatcher) working at Ace Hardware in Wauseon the other day. We always talk about the TFD since we're both from Toledo. I told him you were retiring and he said that means there won't be anymore Skip Coleman's on the department. He told me about working for your dad on #1 Squad and that they called him Skip also, something I didn't know. I have always appreciated your teachings and hope to see more now that the day to day duties won't be there. Best of luck in your retirement and enjoy life. It's all what you make of it.

Dan Bodette
Captain - Lyons FD
Lyons, OH

Wed Nov 21, 10:26:00 AM EST  
Blogger A/C Staley said...

Chief Coleman: Every guy (remember when it was just us guys?)who was in the department when I started (1972) has retired. I'm the only one left. When I consider retirement my only thought is "I AIN'T GONNA DO IT!" At age sixty-two I'm still walkin' the walk, still carrying my share of the load. I've stood a post for over thirty-five years. Now my question: could you share some of the reasons you decided it was time to leave? You have, via books, articles and classes, made me a better firefighter and now I need some wisdom about knowing when to go.

Wed Nov 21, 11:41:00 AM EST  

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