A longtime Murfreesboro battalion chief has hung up his helmet after 40 years of service.
Dale Maynard has officially retired from the Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department. He was hired in September of 1977 after his wife encouraged him to work for the city.
He rose through the ranks quickly and became battalion chief in 2007.
"Battalion Chief Maynard has been an unbelievable asset to the department over the years," said Fire Rescue Chief Mark Foulks. "He has gone above and beyond in many aspects of the job and we have truly appreciated his service to the department and to the City of Murfreesboro. He will be missed!"
Maynard said he will miss the people he has worked with in Murfreesboro throughout the years.
"In the fire service, you get to work with an amazing group of men and women; they become your second family," Maynard said. "You also get the opportunity to meet many great people out in the community."
Officials with the fire department released the following details about Maynard's time there:
"When asked about his most memorable call during his lengthy career, Maynard described a motor vehicle incident involving a woman driving underneath a school bus. The woman suffered life-threatening injuries and passed away on scene. Her infant daughter was in the vehicle with her at the time of the accident, but was unharmed. Maynard remembers Rutherford County EMS handing him the baby girl while they continued working with the mother.
'That was one of the hardest things I ever had to deal with. All I could think about was how this poor baby had just lost her mother,' said Maynard. 'That's the thing about working in emergency services; you cannot go your entire career without encountering some type of tragedy like this.'"
Maynard has hoped to have more time to spend with his wife and to travel.
