Shaw AFB fire chief set to retire Friday

Bruz Crowson / The Item Chief Don Spitzer, left, and lead fireman Greg Farley look over equipment on one of the station's trucks recently.

By LESLIE CANTU
Item Staff Writer

Anyone who sticks with a career for 57 years must have found something he enjoys. Don Spitzer sure did, even though he fell into his career by accident.

Spitzer, the 20th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief at Shaw Air Force Base, is retiring after a lifetime of fire service. He spent 26 years with the Air Force in the fire service, then spent even more time as a civil service firefighter.

Friday afternoon he joked about the new stage of life that awaits.

"Next Friday I quit working, I quit shaving and I am going to try to quit smoking," he said.

He plans to ride the Yamaha Silverado his wife bought as a retirement gift, and the two will drive their recreational vehicle to Bakersfield, Calif., this summer to visit their daughters.

Spitzer, who will turn 72 on the day of his retirement, said he also plans to implement one last rule before he leaves: Anyone who's paid into the coffee club for 30 years automatically gets free coffee for life.

In spite of his jokes, Spitzer said he'll miss everything about the job.

"The Air Force is absolutely a great way of life," he said.

SPITZER

He joined the service in 1948, at the age of 15. When he was 12, his father, a coal miner in Tennessee, took him down into a coal mine to show him that he shouldn't follow in his father's footsteps.

Three years later, his father signed the permission papers for him to join the service, saying it would be a good thing if Spitzer could make a career of the Air Force.

Spitzer didn't go into the Air Force planning to be a firefighter. But as he and a friend were standing in line waiting for their career field assignment, he realized that the personnel officer was alternating the assignments: Engineer, firefighter, engineer, firefighter.

Spitzer and his friend wanted to be assigned together, so they got the guy standing behind Spitzer to stand between them so they would both receive the same assignment.

And that's how Spitzer started his firefighting career.

The excitement and adrenaline kept him going.

"Every emergency you go on is different," he said.

The fire department itself has changed through the years. In 1948, firefighters were outfitted with boots and a coat.

"If you wanted gloves, you bought your own," he said.

Today, it costs $3,000 to outfit each firefighter.

The training has changed, too. At one time, firefighters would practice on real fires.

"Our business has drastically changed in the last 20 years," said Assistant Fire Chief Scott Cline.

Health and environmental considerations are more prominent today, he said, and the firefighters use special fuel to set their practice fires to reduce the effects on the firefighters, the environment and their neighbors.

Shaw's relationship with its neighbors in Sumter has always been considered special, and the relationship between the two fire departments is no different.

The fire departments have reciprocal aid agreements and even train together.

"Chief (Karl) Ford and Chief Spitzer have had a longstanding relationship. ... Those two have benchmarked what other bases are now trying to do," Cline said.

Even beyond Sumter, Spitzer works with small communities to train their firefighters and talk about what they would do in the event of a plane crash.

The fire department will miss Spitzer's experience, Cline said. Spitzer leaves a department of 80 personnel and nine emergency response vehicles.

As Spitzer prepares to leave, Cline is implementing a rule of his own: "He will return weekly whether he likes it or not!"


Contact Staff Writer Leslie Cantu at lesliec@theitem.com or 803-774-1250.