Lindale fireman retires after 61 years

Jerry Garner, Lindale fireman, is hanging up his bunker gear for the last time after 61 years of service. For the last 25 years he has served at Lindale’s station.

“It’s time. I’m way too old to still be active,” he said. “In fact, I’ve been mostly inactive for the last five or six years, because of health issues. It’s time to make it all formal and move on.” 

Before Garner became a fireman he served in the U. S. Air Force as an air traffic controller. When his service ended, he took a position at the San Antonio Airport in 1960. He then took a position at Love Field in Dallas and then to DFW where he retired in 1997.

During his time at Dallas Love Field, Garner and his wife Jean had three daughters. While living close by, in Alamo Heights, he felt a need to protect his family and others, so he joined the volunteer fire department. 

The path that he would follow was laid before him by his father, two brothers and an uncle who were firefighters in Kaufman, Texas. He would go on to volunteer in Kaufman and spend over 30 years volunteering at the DeSoto Volunteer Fire Department.

Garner and his wife, a Lindale native, decided in 1999 to move back to her hometown. Once here, he applied at the Lindale fire station where he commented he might be too old to fight fires, but he could still drive the trucks. That was proven wrong as he immediately started going on calls.

Since that first day at Lindale, he served as the fire chief for three terms. The fire chiefs in Lindale work with an emergency services board that contracts with the fire department to provide fire protection for the community. He worked side by side with the board and building a great relationship with the members. When he finished his last term as fire chief, the department named him Chief Emeritus, which means he holds the rank of chief for life. 

“I love serving the citizens in the community,” Garner said. “I really love the camaraderie with the other firefighters, and I’ve gotten to know quite a few over the area. It’s always been a pleasure to be around them, associate with them, and  give my service where I can.” 

The other side of the coin is dealing with unfavorable situations for families, including injury, death and destruction. Garner said the best days were about the people he stood beside.

Garner remembers his first call as much as his last. The first day was filled with some nerves and uncertainty as he did not know how he would be received. However, the last day was filled with the smell of hot coffee and warm memories. 

As he reminisced with his friends at the fire station, he thought about how the fire department had grown since he’d been here. It went from five trucks to 13 with three more engines being ordered. The central fire station, which will be remodeled soon, a station near Hideaway, a station in the Swan area, and a new one to be built soon close to the old Bragg Morris School serve the community. 

The department is debt free and has the cash on hand to pay for the construction and the new fire engines. The firefighter personnel have gone from 20 to now having 65 brave souls. These firefighters are part-time paid employees that even cover the night shift. The goal of the department is to have permanent, full-time paid firefighters at the stations. 

Aside from his firefighting career, he volunteered with Meals on Wheels, is a greeter and usher at Lindale First Baptist Church, and has saved countless lives through many pints of blood he has donated.

Firefighters are a special kind of people. They live parallel with fear and courage. They devote their lives to courage, service and sacrifice, running toward danger while others flee. Meals are left on tables, family time is interrupted, and warm beds are jumped out of when duty calls, regardless of conditions. 

Garner claims that although he enjoyed his time at the other stations, being a part of the Lindale Firefighters has been the highlight of his career.

“I’m still very proud of the department, and what it’s accomplishing in the city, and the area,” Garner said. “The department continues to grow. I’m real proud of the progress they’re making.

“At 88 and with some health problems, although I am still very active, I’m probably just going to enjoy my time. I’m wanting to make the best of what my time is left is.”

I would personally like to thank Garner for his devotion to our fire department, and he may be contacted at jgarner@lvfd.com. Garner would like to thank all first responders, which include law enforcement, paramedics, and EMTS. He also wants to give a special thanks to our veterans.

We hope that Garner’s days are filled with peace, happiness, and the same strength and courage that were shown throughout his years of service. And if possible, give a pint of blood in Jerry’s honor.