Fire Chief Daniel Laux retires after 32 years of service

Date: 1/6/2009

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



SPRINGFIELD As of Jan. 3, Daniel Laux worked a full 32 years with the Springfield Fire Department (SFD). He started as a fire fighter and will be retiring as a district chief.

A retirement gathering for Laux on his last day shift of duty took place at the Raymond M. Sullivan Public Safety Complex on Carew Street on Dec. 29.

"This has been a great job, and this is the best bunch of guys I could ever think of working with," Laux said. "I highly recommend the job if anyone is looking for one. You do a little bit of everything fire fighting, EMS [emergency medical services], water rescue."

When asked why he decided to retire, he replied, "It's that time."

Laux started at the Mill Street station in 1977 before moving on to the Pine Street Ambulance and then serving as a chief's driver at Winchester Square. "That's when my interest in becoming an officer took off," Laux told Reminder Publications. He became a chief in 1999 and served at the Sullivan Public Safety Complex since 2003.

As a district chief, his duties included directing companies at fire scenes and working closely with other nearby fire departments. For water rescues on the Connecticut River, for example, he worked with the West Springfield, Longmeadow and Agawam departments.

His first "big fire" is what stands out to Laux after a career spanning more than three decades. "It was on Maple Street," he said, "and it was a cold night. With all the water spray, by the time we were done we looked like a couple of ice cubes."

Dennis Leger, Public Information Officer with the SFD, has known and worked with Laux for 31 years. They met at their second drill school.

"He's very professional, a follow the rules kind of guy," Leger said. "He's always been a very good fire fighter. He's very experienced and that made him a very experienced officer."

Laux said he plans on a lot of golf and taking up fishing again once he's done with work.

"I hope my retirement will be a long one," he said.