I’ve had the pleasure to be a part of a lot of firsts in my fire career, including being the first-ever paid fire chief in our town. Being the first-ever career chief in our volunteer department also meant that when I retired, I would also become the first-ever retired career chief in our department.
Fortunate as we are to be part of a municipal pension plan, I often looked ahead to the numbers in monthly reports showing the amount of money I would receive in columns stating first reserved, first unreserved and last unreserved when it came to retirement options. However, when you’re under 40, those dates seem so far away.
As I approach a year of being retired, I’ve been able to gather several thoughts on the process, effect, and aftermath of taking this big step. Then again, is it really a step, or just the evolution of a career? Oh wait, are we talking change here?
Many people look at retirement in general as the end, or better still, a new beginning. In the fire service, it can really feel like leaving your family. However, I think that with any small fire department, being the only career member at the time comes with an opportunity to set a precedent: it’s not about raising a bar but creating one that really hasn’t existed in the past.
By precedent, I mean that everything I do in relation to the fire department is something that will set the groundwork for the next person that retires, and so on. To that end, we have an operational guideline that guides the treatment of a retired member that is being updated to include the role that one may play once retired.
One of the things in this new world I live in is the fact that the public doesn’t understand what we go through, or have gone through, in our time as fire chief. Working on-call seven days a week in a small community, spending even your vacation time connected to the fire department and its community means you are a coiled spring, and leaving that behind is very sudden. It is a freeing feeling, mind you, and one that’s hard to describe, but very different.
Something else you’ll learn is that when a public figure retires, there is a series of recognition opportunities that come with it. While honourable and very humbling, it also serves an important purpose: you’ll find that everyone in the community knows that you’ve retired. Your current status has been announced to everyone, so no matter who you run into, you don’t have to explain what’s new. Believe me, it does make a difference.
In my discussions with colleagues approaching this same decision, the underlying theme is the same, and that is the fact that this change becomes permanent. Leaving what has been part of your life for many years can be frightening. Now being on the other side, it should be celebrated. The ceremonial turning off of the pager in my house was an incredible feeling.
So, have I left? Well, as evidenced by this column and our monthly podcast, no. I still play a role as a retired member of our provincial and national associations, and am part of a peer support team with the Fire Chiefs’ Association of BC and our department locally. Clearly, I have a new role and purpose that matters.
I proudly continue to contribute to the community through mentoring and training. We all have a duty to ensure that the next generation sees what lies ahead. There are many fire departments in Canada with a long history, and ensuring that history is maintained is part of the pride and ownership piece. It’s our job to maintain that history so we’re not going away anytime soon.
You often hear from retirees that “this place won’t be the same without me.” Frankly, it better not be. I see myself as not leaving, but simply making room for progress.
Too often, we see people “stale-date” in a position, putting succession in a position where it doesn’t have the opportunity to move in, and instead, moves on.
Many know my personal story, and that to “retire” is important to me. Remember that this shouldn’t sneak up on you. Take out that crystal ball and think about what retirement looks like – it’s never too early to plan for the future, whether that’s yours or your department’s.
Tom DeSorcy joined the fire service in 1983 and became the first paid firefighter in his hometown of Hope, B.C., when he became fire chief in 2000, retiring in 2023. DeSorcy is married with children and grandchildren. He is equally at home, at a bonspiel, on the golf course, or in the kitchen, and continues to enjoy his connections to the fire service. E-mail Tom at tdesorcy@telus.net, and watch for him on social media.
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