NEWBERRY — Newberry Fire Department recently honored Jimmy Bickley for his retirement after a combined 36 years with the city’s fire department as both a volunteer and career firefighter.
Bickley retired on October 19 as a lieutenant within the department.
“We’re very fortunate to have had Jimmy with us,” Fire Chief Keith Minick said.
The ceremony was held on November 27 at the Newberry Firehouse Conference Center for Bickley’s friends, family and colleagues.
Bickley was presented several gifts on behalf of the fire department as well as the City of Newberry during the ceremony.
On behalf of the fire department, Minick presented Bickley with a commemorative bronze play pipe which is customary for retiring lieutenants.
The Newberry Honor Guard presented Bickley with the flag that flew during his final shift at Station 20 the month prior. The Honor Guard is made up of members who volunteer their time to go to retirements, funerals or other circumstances to represent the department in proper fashion, Minick said.
The helmet Bickley wore as lieutenant has been retired and was presented to him during the ceremony along with a fire service window decal.
Following the presentation of gifts, the Newberry County Communications Center made a “last call” broadcast in Bickley’s honor.
“It’s always very touching to hear the final broadcast that is done at the end of every tour,” Minick said. “Jimmy is retiring after 36 years of service but will never be forgotten.”
Bickley said the evening was very bittersweet for him as he had experienced so many good memories over the years with the Newberry Fire Department.
“Each person I have met has made an impact on my life,” Bickley said. “I owe some of my best memories and friendships to my time here.”
Bickley said helping people was the inspiration for his wanting to get involved in the fire service and he felt that even 36 years later, that still remained true.
“I can honestly say through the years I have stayed true to that reason even though I may have seen things that no man or woman should experience,” he said.
Bickley said he also had fond memories of the people and families he had been able to help during his time with the Newberry Fire Department.
“I’d like to thank my family for all of the love and support they have shown me over the years – all the 24 hour shifts, the emergency calls in the middle of the night and having to rearrange family functions to meet my schedule, I thank you for being there, by my side through the good and the bad,” he said.
Other members of the fire department offered their regards to Bickley including Lieutenant Stuart Smith.
“Time surely has passed but I want to thank Jimmy for all the service he has done,” Smith said. “I had the pleasure of working with him on his first shift and the pleasure of sharing his last shift with him.”
Smith thanked Bickley’s family for being there for him and a system of support for the fire department.
“It’s been a great ride and we thank y’all,” he said.
Smith presented Bickley a gift on behalf of their peers from his first shift.
On behalf of his family, Bickley’s wife Debra presented him with a framed picture from his first day on shift at the Newberry Fire Department.
Lieutenant Andrew Morris described an iconic picture of President George W. Bush as he received word about the terrorist attacks of September 11.
“He was reading in a school when he got the word,” Morris said. “One of the things we don’t get to see is all of the other people that responded to that and that moment changed everyone’s lives.”
For 343 firefighters, Morris said, that was their last day.
“To my knowledge we don’t have any picture of what they were doing right before – it may have been spending time with their family,” he said.
Morris said that was kind of the wild thing about what they did as firefighters.
“Jimmy, during the 36 years that you gave this city, I think about the meals you got up from, the sacrifices you made,” he said. “It’s a different kind of family. They say you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family. That’s different when you come to the fire department.”
Morris said the fire department was their chosen family and he appreciated Bickley’s years of service.
In closing, Minick mentioned Bickley’s service just this year in February when he, along with other firefighters were instrumental in saving a person’s life and how that spoke to his character and his career.
“Just that same day they were in the bay all day long training on that specific task,” Minick said. “It’s amazing how you can train all day and that night you receive a call and it all starts to kick in.”
Minick said he appreciated Bickley’s time, dedication and heart he had put into the fire service and he hoped the fire department would be no stranger to his visits.
“Thank you for your years of service, we will miss you,” he said.
