Sept. 18--FAIRFIELD -- A Fairfield firefighter has decided to retire after more than two decades of rushing into burning homes and rescuing trapped people from car crashes.
Fairfield firefighter Scott Murrison will retire after 21 years as a part-time firefighter at station two, 6540 Dixie Highway. During those 21 years, he also worked full time at Duke Energy.
"It was the best of both worlds. I got to fulfill my childhood dream and have a career with Duke Energy," said Murrison, 55.
Murrison said he often worked 50 hours a week at Duke and 36 hours a week at the fire station. There were some days when he was working 24 hours, he said.
"I would leave Duke and come straight to the fire department. It was tiring at times depending on the night we would have here," Murrison said.
Fairfield Fire Chief Don Bennett said it wasn't an easy task for Murrison to hold down his full-time job and also work at the fire department.
"Clearly Scott represented a generation who possessed strong work ethics, and he was an employee who we hoped the younger employees would emulate," Bennett said.
On Sept. 5 -- Murrison's last day at the fire station -- friends and colleagues gathered to prepare dinner and celebrate his career. For Murrison, it was an emotional event.
"They lowered the flag off the pole out front and presented it to me along with my badge," he said.
Murrison joked that he won't miss getting up in the middle of the night, but he will miss his firefighter family.
"The camaraderie, bonding with the guys, the whole family network of working here, we spent a lot of time together," he said.
Murrison's experience will be missed, said Fairfield Fire Lt. Chad Cooper.
"That's a big void to fill when you have more than 20-plus years of experience ..." Cooper said.
During his career, Murrison said he responded to several tragic events, including seeing deceased infants and teenagers killed in car accidents.
There wasn't a specific reason for why Murrison decided to retire. He said after 21 years his body told him it was time to hang it up.
Murrison credited the support of his wife of 17 years, Helga Murrison, for allowing him to live his childhood dream.
"She supported me 100 percent, knowing what I wanted to do with this fire department," he said.
Copyright 2013 - Hamilton JournalNews, Ohio
