Battalion Chief Dave Richey honored by Fire Department as decades-long career comes to a close
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- What started off as a job to work alongside close friends eventually blossomed into a decorated career for Battalion Chief Dave Richey, a retiring veteran of the St. Joseph Fire Department who proudly wore the uniform for one last time Tuesday.
For more than 36 years, Richey worked alongside an extended family in the St. Joseph Fire Department, eventually climbing the ranks to become battalion chief.
Through all the years and changes that have occurred, from evolutions in technology to personnel, the memories and connections made along the way were some of his most cherished moments.
"There's a lot of moments. We're a tight knit group that's had a lot of fun," Richey said. "There's been a lot of laughing, crying and talking to each other about things we see in the field. I've seen so many changes in technology, equipment and personnel."
"One of my favorite moments has been seeing some of our first female firefighters, to now having female firefighters promoted to positions like driver engineer."
As Richey was celebrated by peers and family during a retirement ceremony Tuesday, he was also presented with a celebrated piece of the department's history: one of its original brass poles with his name and years of service engraved.
"St. Joseph is one of the first cities to have fire poles. The brass pole means something to us because it was something we kept when redoing the old fire stations," Richey said. "When you retire, they give you a little piece of the brass pole, which to me signifies what our fire department stands for. If you talk to any of the retired firefighters, that's what they look forward to the most. It carries a lot of meaning."
Among the things he will miss the most in retirement is the thrill of putting out fires in the field and working alongside the people he calls his family.
"I will miss the adrenaline rush of going to a fire, that excitement is hard to replace. It's a little addictive," Richey said. "I'll miss the people here, they are my family. The relationships you build over the years are special and a lot of them are here to see me off. Not seeing them every day, is what I'll probably miss the most."
