(Le Mars) — After 37 years of battling fires, and rescuing people from mangled vehicles from accidents, Keith Hettwer has decided to retire from the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department. Today (Wednesday) is Hettwer’s final day with the fire department. He says he first got interested in serving on the fire department, back as a young boy.
Hettwer will retire as a captain from the Le Mars fire department. He says he remembers several of the emergency calls. But, perhaps the one emergency call that will forever stick in Hettwer’s mind occurred not when he was on duty as a
fire fighter, but rather during his past full-time job with the Iowa National Guard. He says watching the crippled United Flight 232 come into the Sioux City airport, on that fateful summer day of 1989, followed by the aftermath, will forever be remembered.
Hettwer says there were several occasions where his firefighting training was useful during his national guard employment.
Retired Fire Chief, Wayne Schipper was the fire chief at the time Hettwer showed an interest in joining the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department. He says he was impressed with Hettwer from the start.
Retired Chief Schipper says soon after Hettwer began his duties as a firefighter, he was assigned the responsibilities of Fire Department Secretary.
Dave Schipper, the current fire chief, inherited Hettwer’s dedication when he started as the Le Mars Fire Chief. Dave Schipper echoes his father’s sentiments regarding Hettwer’s service to the community.
Dave Schipper says Captain Hettwer helped paint the new fire station, he helped install cabinets in the kitchen, and he was one of the first firefighters to put in the overnight shift when the fire department decided to staff the facilities 24 hours a day.
Hettwer says the men and women that comprise the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department is a big family that watches each other’s back. He says he will miss the camaraderie of the firefighters team. However, Hettwer says his time now will be filled by watching the grandchildren.
Thank you Keith Hettwer for your service to this community, and for helping keep this community safe for the last 37 years.
