41-year veteran of Newark Fire Department retires

NEWARK - Capt. Ron Walsh has delivered babies. He has stood at the tops of the Licking County Courthouse and the Longaberger basket building. He has brought people back to life.

"There are not many jobs where you can go from janitor to performing medical procedures that doctors and nurses perform," he said.

But that career is coming to an end. After 41 years with the Newark Fire Department, Walsh is retiring after his last shift on Thursday.

Newark Fire Chief Pat Connor said Walsh, who was a captain when Connor started with the department, is the most passionate person he has met in fire service.

"He's one of the jack of all trades people on our fire department with all the experience we're going to miss him for sure," Connor said. 

Connor said Walsh has been a person that other firefighters have looked up to for his knowledge and expertise. When Connor was just starting with the department, he fought fires alongside Walsh and knew that Walsh was a person he could trust.

"He's always been that person all these years as a mentor for a lot of other people," he said. "I have a lot of respect for Capt. Walsh."

Walsh has seen so much in his time with the department, which he joined in July 1977. 

He said he was once part of a crew that fought a fire at Owens Corning that was the result of a chemical spill. The fire was near a rail car that was being unloaded. 

"It was said afterward if the rail car had exploded houses on Hudson Avenue would have been destroyed," he said. "The shift had a 'We Survived Party' after that."

A majority of the departments runs are for medical service. Walsh said he has seen people in the worst times of their lives and at happy times.

"This profession is rewarding when you have a successful resuscitation, when someone walks in the station that you thought would not survive the accident they were in just to thank you," he said.

When Vice President Mike Pence visited Newark on July 30, Walsh was assigned to the designated ambulance for Pence in case something happened to him while he was in town

"How many people get to do that?" he said.

And while it was an honor to meet Pence and get a picture with him, Walsh said what really matters to him is interacting with the residents of Newark. He loves working with the emergency room nurses and doctors at Licking Memorial Hospital and talking to patients as the crews transport people in ambulances.

"Elderly people are like a walking library," he said. "Questioning them and talking with them as you’re transporting them to the hospital and the stories they tell you."

But what he said he still loves about the job are his fellow firefighters. 

"I think a lot of people that retire from any job they miss the people they work with," he said. "There’s a lot of camaraderie. I just enjoy the people I work with."

Like he has for his whole life, Walsh lives on a farm and he will continue to grow corn and soybeans. His family also owns Walsh Tree Farm in St. Louisville. And in the last two months he has gone from four grandchildren to six.

"I’ve got enough to keep me busy but I’ve done this over two-thirds of my life and I’m not looking forward to retirement," he said.

Walsh said he plans to occasionally work with the Licking Township Fire Department as a medic.

"This has not just been my job or profession, it’s been my passion," he said. 

mdevito@gannett.com

740-328-8513

Twitter: @MariaDeVito13