“It’s tough for me to give it up; I was lucky enough to experience it and be welcomed into the community.”
These are the words of retired firefighter Charlie Gammon as he reflected back on his time with the Clear Lake Fire Dept. He made the difficult decision to retire in November after 22 years.
Originally from Little Falls, Gammon and his wife moved to the Clear Lake area and wanted to put down roots. Being the type of person who likes to help others, Gammon thought joining the local volunteer fire department would be a great way to accomplish that and grow with the community. He joined, and his eyes were opened.
“There was a severe learning curve,” Gammon admits. “I had no concept of what was all involved; the dedication, the amount of time, the hours of training.”
Even so, Clear Lake Fire Chief Ron Koren said Gammon was willing to learn and he became one of the most respected members on the team.
“He was always very approachable,” said Koren, “He was one of the ones on scene that you went to for input and advice. Many years ago he was recommended for an officer position and he turned it down, saying he would rather they promoted someone younger than him and let them work their way up. He felt it would be more beneficial to the department.”
Gammon also took it upon himself to main the departments SCBA’s (self-contained breathing apparatus) on his own time.
“The department has worked so hard to get to where it is today,” said Gammon. “People in our district should be very proud of the fire department and understand these are people just like them, dads, moms, grandparents, neighbors. What they give is incredible.”
“I don’t think people realize when they call 911 we’re it, and we’re trained very well to assist the community. We’re helping people every day in the most horrific times of their lives.”
Gammon also said people don’t realize the dangers firefighters face. “That’s a reality every time the pager sounds.”
“You can do your job as long as you feel safe; the people in charge of our department have our backs.”
His best memories of his time as a firefighter are the times where he felt like he really helped, along with watching the department grow in experience and expertise.
On Jan. 29 he was honored at the Clear Lake Fire Dept.’s annual appreciation dinner for his years of service with a large plaque graced by a firefighter’s ax.
“All these years I’ve always wanted a fire ax,” Gammon smiled, “Now I’ve got one on my plaque. I was blown away.”
Koren recounted when Gammon retired he asked if he could still come back and cook the barbeque at the firefighter’s dance like he’d done for years. “I still want to help them in any way I can participate,” Gammon said.
“It’s a life experience you can’t replace,” Gammon expressed, “You can’t get it anywhere else. I encourage everyone to give it a chance.”
The Clear Lake Fire Dept. is looking for more people to join them as volunteer firefighters. If interested, call Clear Lake City Hall at 320-743-3111.
