The following is a reprint of an article from the Lake
County News-Herald newspaper December 15, 2001
Firefighter hailed as hero for many
By Tracey Read, Staff Writer
About
60 area firefighters marched in the pouring rain Friday afternoon along Chardon
Square to pay tribute to Honorary Assistant Chardon Fire Chief Tom Hummel, Sr.
Hummel,
62, who died Dec. 8 at his Chardon home after a long lung illness, would have
been surprised at the moving memorial service, said Asst. Hambden Township Fire
Chief Don Zimmerman. "When we were all out in the rain, he was
probably shaking his head, thinking 'I can't believe they're going through this
for me', he said.
The service started at Pilgrim Christian Church
next to the fire department. Then, rescue workers marched behind an
antique fire truck with Hummel's casket on it, and bagpipes played, Chardon Fire
Chief Larry Gaspar said. "He was like a hero in town", he
said. "He went on so many fire calls. Whenever there was a problem,
he was always the first one at the station to help. He was a very respected
person. Whenever Tom had something to say, everyone would stop and
listen".
Hummel was on the Chardon department for 37 years,
and was assistant fire chief for 23 years until his illness stopped him from
going on calls two years ago. But Hummel refused to give up hope he'd be
well enough someday to fight fires again, so the department gave him the title
of honorary assistant chief. "Even when he was sick, he wanted to go
on calls", Gaspar said.
Firefighting runs in Hummel's
family. His son, Tom Jr., was promoted to assistant fire chief after Hummel
became sick. Tom, Jr. is also a full-time fighter with Painesville.
Hummel's father, Carl, joined the Chardon department in 1938. Besides his
son, Hummel--who was also a manager of the Chardon branch of Security Federal
Savings and Loan for 28 years, is survived by his wife, Joyce, a daughter Heidi,
and several grandchildren.
Hambden Fire Chief Scott Hildenbrand,
who is also a Chardon police officer, said Hummel helped inspire him to become a
firefighter. "I knew him since I was a kid", Hildenbrand
said. "My uncle used to clean the bank he managed, and I'd help my
uncle once in awhile. He always had the (police and fire) scanner on in
his office. When I was a kid, I used to turn the scanner up and then
always turned it back down later, hoping he wouldn't notice. Seeing him
with his pager going out to calls always fascinated me, when I was
younger".
The Hambden chief added that Hummel himself would
have been the only Chardon area resident who wouldn't have expected such a
hoopla at his funeral. "Even for a rainy, drizzly, yucky day, he
still had a good turn out", said Hildenbrand.
For More Information Contact:
Chardon Fire Department
110 S. Hambden St. Chardon, OH 44024
Tel: 440-285-4665
FAX: 440-285-8320
Internet: Capt. John Blauch, Webmaster
