New Licking Fire Chief takes the helm
Photo by Shari Harris
Licking Fire Chief Bobby Hearty.
By Shari Harris, Publisher
Newly appointed Licking Fire Chief Bobby Hearty serves a double role with the rural and city fire departments. He is also their training officer. He took some time away from the department’s Thursday evening training session to share with the community a little about himself.
Chief Hearty has 23 years of experience as a firefighter, starting in Roby when he volunteered to help the fire department with a grass fire. His son-in-law was a volunteer firefighter there, and he signed up as well. While traveling over the road, he was only able to respond when he was at home, but he quickly found how much he enjoyed helping people. He added that it worked both ways – while he was on the road, it felt good knowing that there were people who would help his family out in an emergency while he was gone.
After Roby, Chief Hearty was a member of the Raymondville fire department for a while. Former Licking Fire Chief Aaron Greathouse started his training as a firefighter under him at Roby. Hearty has served the Licking Fire Departments for the past six years, off and on.
Chief Hearty and Asst. Chief Randy Wilson were both Assistant Chiefs under Greathouse, who resigned his position at the end of April. Chief Hearty was also the training officer, which he will remain at this time. He encourages other firefighters to lead training classes as well.
“We’re all equal here,” he said, acknowledging that he learns from others when they offer training.
He enjoys a good camaraderie with the crew, and they may laugh and joke around some, but once they get to a fire, they are all business, he said.
Hearty takes the position of Chief very seriously.
“My responsibility is to get all these people home from a scene. My job is to teach them, look after them, and make sure they are safe,” he said.
Hearty has completed training and is state certified in Firefighter I and II, Hazmat Ops and Awareness, Lithium Ion Battery course, Extrication, and Advanced Extrication. As training officer and chief, he believes that training his staff will keep them and the community safe. The department has a junior program now, and youth as young as 15 years old can start their training, allowing them the opportunity to become a firefighter at age 18.
Hearty is working for the City of Licking summer mowing crew, so unless something urgent is happening in the City, he can respond to most calls.
“We can’t afford a manned station,” he pointed out. “We drop what we are doing to come and help.”
In addition to the time he spends being a volunteer firefighter, Chief Hearty enjoys fishing, hunting and model railroads. He and his wife, Joann Hearty, have three daughters and four grandchildren.
