Former Durand Fire Chief remembered

DURAND, Wis. (WEAU) -The Durand community is honoring the life and legacy of its former fire chief. Larry “Pit” Plumer led the department for more than three decades.

“Pit was a lifelong member of the Durand Fire Department,” said Jamey King, the current fire chief for the Durand Fire Department. “He had 56 years of service. 32 years of those were chief.....He helped found the ambulance and get that started. He was the ambulance director for many years.”

For King, who’s been the fire chief for six years now, he said: “When I came here, everybody said I had big boots to fill, and I did have big boots to fill, but Pit was right with me the whole time mentoring me and forming me into--and keeping our great department we still have.”

Pit also had an impact on the life of the fire department’s chaplain Daniel Pfaffe: “He’s the one responsible for me joining the department, and he and one of my friends--I’d expressed some interest in, how do firefighters, how do guys join the fire department and low and behold Pit and my friend showed up at my door and said if you want to join, you’re welcome on.”

For Pfaffe: “He really was a father figure, and I dearly love the man on a personal level as well as enjoyed taking orders from him.”

In his years of service with Plumer, Pfaffe said Pit was the epitome of a public servant.

“He was somebody who could organize the Wisconsin State Firefighter’s Association. He commanded presence there. If we were at a huge incident command situation, he was there organizing the departments that were on the scene and yet, when he was at the fire hall, if there was a broom that was unattended and there was a little bit of time, he was busy sweeping the floor,” Pfaffe said.

As they look back on his career, King said: “He had a huge impact on everyone here keeping us together and keeping everything flowing....Pit will leave a big legacy behind.”

“A great example of compassion and love as well as dedication to duty,” Pfaffe said. “Those who served with him will carry those memories for the rest of their life.....Right up until the end, he served faithfully.”

During his career, Larry “Pit” Plumer was recognized with the National Volunteer Fire Council Lifetime Achievement Award and the Wisconsin State Firefighter’s Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Plumer’s son Larry is continuing his father’s legacy serving as a firefighter with the Durand Fire Department.

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