Elmer Langdon
Chief
Story
’A Fire Chief From Another Town’
By Chris M Ransom, Staff Writer (Ontario Firefighters magazine 1986)
As you read this in Vancouver, St. John’s Saskatoon or Kapuskasing you have probably never heard of Fire Chief Elmer Langdon. He is not the type of person who you read about in the National newspapers or see on the local six o’clock news; but I’m willing to bet that you know someone just like him. Elmer and others just like never seek out the limelight and somehow that big fire or train wreck happens somewhere else, and you rarely read about the Elmers of this world. The dedication and service to the local community is so often taken for granted in many smaller towns; and usually escapes the notice of the big city editors. The volunteer Fire Department is the backbone of the Fire Service in Canada and men like Elmer helped make it that way.
Elmer pushed the hand wheeled Fire carriage up the main street in 1939 before the war when the only fire protection was a couple of soda and acid extinguishers and the bucket brigade. Guys like him helped build the small town Fire Brigades with used trucks and tankers, turned out in a January blizzard with the rest of the boys to fight a barn fire at a neighbour’s farm; came home a frozen block of ice at five in the morning and still was the first to get to the depot.
Elmer’s Dad delivered the heating oil in a horse drawn tank in the old days and some of the boys at the Firehall can remember taking a ride round the country with him when he did his rounds. Elmer did too and knew every house and farm lane for twenty miles around. If you wanted to know the best way to the ‘old Smith place’ just ask Elmer he’d been there a hundred times.
In 1945 after serving in the army Elmer moved back to Dundalk and joined his father in the fuel oil business. He was a moving force in the history of the Dundalk Volunteer Fire Brigade and helped maintain the first new pumper, a 1949 Dodge. Elmer was appointed Captain in 1955, became Deputy Chief in 1968 and became Fire Chief in 1970. The department saw many changes during these years, a new pumper was purchased in 1969 followed by a tanker in 1974 and an addition to the Firehall in 1975. Elmer was always interested in maintaining and continually upgrading the department with new and necessary equipment.
When the town budget was not sufficient to buy the equipment, the Firefighters would raise the money themselves and through the efforts of Elmer and other local businessmen, funds would be solicited from local service clubs like the Lions Club and t the local Legion. Every summer the Fire Department held the ‘Fun and Frolic Night’, a type of Las Vegas night with the local entertainment, games for the kids and bingo for the ladies. A lot of the local farmers had a good time and ate a lot of hot dogs while the wife and kids spent their money. The people of Dundalk, unlike some towns, were proud of their Fire Chief and his department and turned up to give them their support.
After 45 years of service with the Fire Brigade (15 as Chief) Elmer was honoured in 1985 at a banquet by the Village of Dundalk when he stepped down from his position as Chief. Elmer had received recognition from the town in 1980 for over 30 years’ service and in 1981 was recognized by the Province of Ontario with the Fire Services Long Service Medal. In 1982 Elmer received a Commissioner’s Citation in recognition of his assistance given to The Ontario Provincial Police.
Elmer stayed on the Fire Department after he retired as Chief in 1985. He was still involved and he was a hard man to keep at home when the alarm went. His wife Doris told him that he had done his bit and if he wanted to help he should man the radios down at the Firehall, but that didn’t suit Elmer. At the age when most men are settling into retirement, Elmer was still out fighting fires.
On December 8 th, Dundalk Brigade responded to a small chimney fire in one of the surrounding townships, at 7:30 on a Monday evening. When the Fire Trucks arrived Elmer was already there helping out; it was to be his last act of kindness. Shortly after, he collapsed the victim of heart failure. They worked hard on Elmer with CPR and oxygen but they could not revive their fallen comrade.
December 12th was the coldest day of December as the many Fire Chiefs and Firefighters joined Elmer’s friends and relatives to pay him their last respects. A guard of honor bade him a fond farewell. Many of us thought of the reasons for his death and how fate had played a cruel trick on Elmer who had so often given so much of himself to help his fellow man.
Next time you meet the old Fire Chief who still drops by to see the boys, shake his hand and show some patience and understanding as he tells you how it was in the ‘old days’. He’s still one of the boys and deserves your respect and admiration…he’s a small reminder of a Chief from another town --- Elmer Langdon.