PHOTOS: Chris Sears was standing with 16-year-old daughter Sam in front of a display during Lapel Stony Creek Fire Territory’s Public Safety Day on Sunday. The display included clothing, badges, a firefighter hat and more. “Just showing her how it was, the old stuff,” said Sears, a firefighter/EMT with 26 years of service at the department.
He said he recently added up how many years of service he, his brother — assistant fire chief Todd Sears — and dad Bill, a firefighter, had in total: 91 years. “I was hoping it’d be 100 for this — it’d be cool,” he said. Sears was alluding to the fact that as the department was conducting Public Safety Day — with its usual educational booths, children’s activities, display of fire vehicles, food and more — it was also celebrating its 100th year since receiving its first charter in 1925. Unlike most such celebrations, however, there was yet something else added to the mix — the fact that as of the end of December, the department will cease to be its own entity. At the start of next year, the department merges with South Madison Fire Territory. “It’s our last year,” Chief Jason Renner said.
