MCCORDSVILLE — Tom Alexander taught a lot of lessons in nearly 47 years of firefighting.
For his daughter, Susan, the lesson she can’t forget is to never park in front of Dad’s truck in case he has to go on a run. She knows her father, who recently retired after 19 years as chief of the McCordsville Fire Department, won’t have to rush to the station at all hours anymore, but she still finds herself parking to one side or the other, just in case.
And for Ray Hashley, the new chief, the lesson he took from 15 years of working with Alexander is to get the job done and make sure everyone — including firefighters — gets home safely.
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Some 100 firefighters, EMTs and other first-responders from throughout Hancock County recently met at McCordsville United Methodist Church to celebrate Alexander’s distinguished career as a volunteer firefighter for the Fortville and McCordville fire departments.
They shared a meal and shared stories from his years of helping those in emergency situations, remembering how the town and the job has changed over the years.
“He’s touched so many of our lives, we wanted to honor him in a public way,” Hashley said. “He’s a great leader … who loves what he does and loves his family. He has so much knowledge from experience that a lot of us just like to listen and learn.”
Longtime Fortville Fire Department volunteer Gary “Toasty” Sherritt reminisced about the days when he and others raced to the station to respond to fires, accidents and other emergencies, and firefighters rode the back of the fire engine.
“It brought quite the rush, riding in the back of the truck and heading toward that glow,” he said.
Alexander said the rides were nice on mild summer evenings, but less so when it was cold or raining.
Christine Gainey, a former volunteer firefighter with McCordsville Fire Department, joked about the time they were burning a house down for training purposes and she was trying to keep the floors clean.
“They were nice floors,” she remembered.
Alexander started his service at Fortville, volunteering there for 22 years, before spending 24 years in McCordsville, he said.
He and his family lived a block from the station for several years, and when they moved, their dog got lost and went back to the fire station, he said.
He said while the equipment and training has evolved over the years, the crux of the job is the same: helping people.
“When we show up, they’re not having a good day,” he said. “The one thing that hasn’t changed is our desire to help people.”
Organizers of the event surprised Alexander and his family with gifts, including gift cards and restaurant gift certificates so he and his wife, Margie Alexander, could enjoy a meal uninterrupted by the pager going off.
The couple will celebrate 57 years of marriage next month, Margie Alexander said.
“I’m very proud of my husband and children,” she said. “We did have a lot of fun over the years.”
Vernon Township trustee Florence May read a resolution declaring Jan. 4, 2019, Tom Alexander Day in recognition of his “extraordinary service to Vernon Township.”
He didn’t expect the reception he received, Alexander said.
“I was surprised at the magnitude of the event,” he said. “I thought it would be just local members of the department.”
Alexander still owns and operates an insurance agency in McCordsville. He said he plans to remain active, but he just won’t have to jump out of bed and run to the fire station in the middle of the night anymore.
“46 years is long enough,” he said.
