A Legacy of Service: Renovo Fire Department Honors Retired Chief Jim Risley and Dedicated Volunteers
By Kevin Rauch
RENOVO-A ceremony over 40 years in the making took place Saturday evening at the Renovo Fire Department as retired Chief #29 Jim Risley was honored for his years of unwavering dedication to the fire company, his home town and even his country as a Veteran.
The RDF also honored Donnie Long and Dave Walker with plaques for their years of dedication to the company. Long has been a mainstay for decades as a volunteer while Walker has been a key to the station maintaining its EMS status.
The bulk of the program following the dinner however was all about former Chief Risley. In addition to a plaque the honored guest also received a lifetime leather bucket as well as a citation from PA State Representative Stephanie Borowicz’s office on behalf of the State Legislature.
Risley played part in roles too numerous to ever mention, but his time spent as a volunteer fire fighter included helping the Emerald’s Hose and West Branch Hose companies to merge into the Renovo Fire Department, as well as picking up the town ambulance service when the former FAST department disbanded.
With all of this of course leading to saving many lives in the western Clinton County area, something current Station #29 Chief Ted Hill noted as he read off notes of just what Risley has meant to the station and beyond.
“I was going to sit down and figure out just how many lives he has saved throughout the years, but it’s pretty impossible” noted Hill. “For one, when he first started we didn’t have computers for documentation and also because there were days that he’d just be coming home from work and come up upon a scene and take over”.
“I’m sure right about now he’s ready to get up and leave because we are talking about him” Hill laughed during the presentation.
“Jim has been instrumental in this fire department and in this town, he may have stepped down from being fire chief, but as any member, past or present will tell you, if you hear that whistle you better run, because he needs you right now.” Hill said of the former leader.
“Jim has been involved with our Station for over 40 years, he’d be known if he walked into any fire station in this County, and I’m sure probably even any station in the State and they could also offer a comical Jim Risley story” the current chief added.
“I had the privilege of working beside Jim at the station and on jobs; he’s a man that deserves respect for his years and years of dedication not only to his Country but to his town as well. If you look up ‘dedication’ in the dictionary it says ‘willingness to give a lot of time and energy because it is important. You won’t see a picture of Jim, but he embodies the meaning” summed up Hill of his mentor.
“Day or night all anyone in this room has to do is call Jimmy up and he will be there, that is true dedication.”
Prior to the Risley dedication Hill also spoke praised to Donnie Long and Dave Walker for their roles at the department.
“Donnie is an incredible asset to our department, we’d be lost without him” Hill said confidently. “Because Donnie is not an active fire fighter, he is able to come into our meetings with a clear mind, he and his family has always provided desserts and whatever we need for our dinners, his family has always been a family that we can count on whenever we need anything”.
Dave Walker has been a well visible sight over recent years, seemingly always ready to roll out with the ambulance when it’s needed.
“Dave has truly been one of the ones that have kept our EMS up and running, every now and then Dave has considered leaving our small town and moving back to his kids, but he just can’t leave us” said Hill, with an obvious hope that Walker stays around for years to come.
