“I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the fireman has to do believe that his is a noble calling. There is an adage which says that, "Nothing can be destroyed except by fire." We strive to preserve from destruction the wealth of the world, which is the product of the industry of men, necessary for the comfort of both the rich and the poor. We are defenders from fires of the art which has beautified the world, the product of the genius of men and the means of refinement of mankind. But, above all, our proudest endeavor is to save lives of men - the work of God Himself. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even at the supreme sacrifice. Such considerations may not strike the average mind, but they are sufficient to fill to the limit our ambition in life and to make us serve the general purpose of human society”.

Chief Edward F. Croker, FDNY 1898 – 1911

"As I spend my last night with my brothers at the Pearl Street Fire Station it is time for me to leave a career that has spanned over 28 years. I can honestly say that I have filled a little boy’s dream of wanting to be a fireman. It has been a rewarding experience that I can look back on with pride. Nothing can compare with the feeling you get from a citizen that tells you what a “great job you have done.”

   Every Firefighter in the world will tell you what a great department that he or she is on (and they should) and I can say that Bowling Green is one of the best. We hold a class 2 insurance rating in Ohio which only 1% of over 2800 Ohio fire departments hold. (There are no class 1 departments in Ohio). All of our personnel work hard to maintain this rating.

   I have worked with four different chiefs, have been on all three shifts, and have had the honor of working with all of my fellow brothers. When you live together for twenty-four hours every third day there is going to be disagreements and tempers do fly but everyone comes together when needed. I have always tried to follow the advice from a great Fire Instructor, Dale Zwicker that I met early in my career. ”Never stop learning the job because every day there is something new to learn about it.”

   Thanks to everyone for the posts in the last few days and special thanks to my wife Elaine and my family for all the support. I love you all. To my fellow brothers (past and present) and sisters (Ruth Ann and Abby) at the fire division, it has been my honor and a privilege to have known and served with you all.

Lt. Timothy Schroeder
Bowling Green Fire Division
December 28, 2011