When Ron Pendleton joined the Bristol Fire Dept., Dwight Eisenhower was president, Rocky Marciano was the heavyweight champion of the world, and Elvis Presley was still an unknown wannabe with a funny name.
Pendleton came up through the ranks when being a firefighter really meant being a fire-man, when nobody thought about federal safety regulations and fire departments relied on equipment a volunteer today wouldn’t depend on to cool down a barbecue pit.
During Pendleton’s career, firefighting has been remade by technology. Under his oversight Bristol has developed one of the finest departments in Lincoln County, a county that boasts some of the best volunteer departments in the state.
It is a credit to Pendleton that he has not only survived – but thrived over the course of his long career.
In one sense, he was lucky in that his department was something of a family affair. His father, father-in-law, his wife, and three sons all became involved in the service in some fashion, but we can imagine that was probably a small consolation at a fire scene in the middle of the night, in the dead of winter, with temperatures so cold the marrow in the bones threatens to freeze.
Pendleton has given most of his life to his community, doled out in countless hours at a time. It is to his credit that after many years of strong leadership he leaves his town in excellent hands, whomever his successor may be.
It is also to his credit that he steps away now, when he still has time and energy to take on the honey-do list around the house, pamper the grandchildren to his heart’s content, leave town for a day on a whim and, if he feels like it, and only if he feels like it, lend a hand around the fire station.
There is something to be said about giving one’s all to the cause but there is also something to be said about rolling off into the sunset after giving almost all.
Well done, Chief. We wish you well.
