Through a career spending nearly 40 years, including 29 as chief, Lyman Bacon has led the Truemanville Volunteer Fire Department through a period of tremendous change, one that saw construction of a new fire hall and the development of a solid fire team that has served the community for many years.
Now the 76-year-old is preparing to step aside for a younger generation with the veteran fire chief announcing his retirement. A celebration was held at the Truemanville fire hall on Saturday, Feb. 17, as members of the fire department and community came together to say thanks for his service to the fire department.
“It’s time. I’m getting to the age where it’s time to do something different. I’m going to stay in the department, but there’s such a commitment organizing and running the department it’s a younger persons game now,” Bacon said. “We have a couple of really good young people taking over and I have all the confidence they’ll do a tremendous job.”
Bacon said he has many fond memories of his time as chief and as a firefighter. He said he would encourage anyone wanting to serve their community to consider joining the fire department, and that doesn’t mean they have to commit to fighting fires as there are other support roles and responsibilities that are just as important.
Incoming Truemanville Fire Department Chief Alan Fromm (left) and deputy chief Jeff Bacon and former deputy chief Ivan Fromm (right) congratulate Lyman Bacon on his retirement as chief of the Truemanville Volunteer Fire Department.
“I’ve been fortunate because I met so many great people and there are always enough people give a choice of what to do. Everyone always has ideas of what they want to do, but there’s never been an issue with running the department,” he said.
The Truemanville department, he said, has benefitted from strong membership over the years as well as tremendous support from the community when it came to fundraisers to purchase equipment and support the work of the department.
Bacon said he was encouraged to join the department by a friend, who was serving as treasurer at the time. He went to a meeting and knew immediately it was something he wanted to do. It was after only one year he was asked to serve as deputy chief’s position.
One of the biggest changes he has seen over the years is the civic addressing system. When he joined the department in the 1980s fire calls came in by telephone and the person taking the call had to know the area.
“That was one of the things I got involved in later on was the civic addressing system and we made sure every house in our part of the county had a civic address,” Bacon said. “With a civic address you know exactly where each house is. We purchased the signs and distributed them to each home.”
Another change is the increase in training to the point most members of the department are fire school-trained Level 1 firefighters.
Bacon said his family, including his late wife Dianne and sons Greg and Jeff, played a prominent role in his fire department life. Without their support, he never could have or would have done it.
“My wife was very supportive, getting up in the middle of the night and getting me out the door to respond,” he said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without her support and that of my sons.”
Alan Fromm is becoming the new chief of the department and Bacon’s son, Jeff, is becoming the deputy.
During the ceremony, several speakers– including both of Cumberland County’s MLAs – applauded Bacon for his years of service to the community.
Municipality of Cumberland Deputy Mayor and district councillor Rod Gilroy congratulated Bacon saying he’s another example of how the fire service breeds great people.
Municipality of Cumberland Deputy Mayor and District 2 Coun. Rod Gilroy (left) congratulates Lyman Bacon on his retirement as chief of the Truemanville Volunteer Fire Department.
“There’s no possible way to say everything there is to say about Lyman Bacon in 10 minutes or less with all the great things he’s done,” Gilroy said. “Lyman’s work and dedication to this department is unmatched and an example for others to follow. If there’s ever a book written about the great attributes of being a successful fire chief I’m sure he’ll be in every chapter. Respect and trust are not freely given or freely taken. They are earned and Lyman has earned both not only from the firefighters here in Truemanville but also throughout the county, the province and beyond.”
Former Truemanville firefighter Ian Ripley said it was an honour to speak at Bacon’s retirement celebration since he has so many fond memories of serving under him at the department and with him at the Athol Forestry Cooperative, where Bacon was chair of the board for more than 20 years.
“There are so many fun memories,” Ripley said. “We’ve become great friends since we first met here at the department and there are so many things I still remember fondly from building a new tanker truck to building this hall and all the blood, sweat and equity we put into building this.”