A second-generation firefighter with 34 years of experience on the job retired Wednesday, with plenty of friends, family and co-workers at Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Station No. 2 to celebrate him for his retirement party.
“My father was a firefighter for 35 years here. I started back in 1989,” Battalion Chief Brooks Huffer said. Brooks’ first nine years was as a volunteer firefighter, followed by 25 years as a career firefighter. “I worked my way up from firefighter all the way to battalion chief.”

Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Battalion Chief Brooks Huffer (C), who retired from the department Wednesday after nine years as a volunteer and 25 years full time, poses with the guys from A shift. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union

He attributed the excitement of the job, the brotherhood and his love for the community to keeping him excited about going to work every day for over three decades.As to what he thinks have been the biggest changes to firefighting over the years, Brooks stated, “To be honest with you, it’s a full circle. It seems like every 20 years it goes back to the way it was 20 years ago. The trucks aren’t as computerized anymore compared to what they used to be. It used to be all dials and stuff like that, you had to do everything correctly. Now, it’s just a push button and a lot easier.”

When he’s not been on duty, Brooks could be seen on the sidelines of the Warsaw freshman football games as a coach. He coached for about 10 years, took a little break and has started doing it again.

As for his retirement plans, well, he’s only retiring from the fire department.

“I work part-time at Titus Funeral Home right now, so I’ll just go there full time. And I’ll enjoy my life with my wife and my family,” he said. “We live on Chapman Lake so we’ll be fishing, boating and doing fun stuff on the lake.”

Brooks has lived in the Warsaw community all of his life and wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You help people that you know, and that’s kind of sad sometimes. It’s kind of exciting. You’re helping each other out, which means a lot,” he said.

“This is one of the best fire departments in the state. I would put them up against anybody ... Indianapolis, South Bend, whoever, I’ll put my guys up against anybody,” Brooks said.

He and his wife, Tena, have three sons. Tyler Huffer is the oldest and Cameron and Derek Huffer are twins. He has one grandson which he plans to spoil even more now during retirement.

Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Battalion Chief Brooks Huffer (R) poses for a photo with Fire Chief Brian Mayo Wednesday during Huffer’s retirement party at Station No. 2. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union

Cameron said growing up, it’s been fun having a firefighter as a dad.“Just being around the fire trucks, just him and the guys, it’s been just a lot of fun. A big blast. Just as a kid, it was fun just being around the fire trucks and everything,” Cameron said.

Tyler said they’d walk or bike down to the fire station to get ice cream as kids growing up. “It was always fun to come down here and hang out,” he said, adding that the fire station was like a second home.

The biggest lesson their dad taught them, they agreed, was community service and giving back to the community. “That’s what Huffers do - give back to the community,” Tyler said.

Cameron said that while neither of them became firefighters, the idea is always at the back of their minds as something that could potentially happen.

Tena said she and Brooks just celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary.

“It’s great. It was kind of hard when the kids were little and their dad wasn’t home every day, but we survived it and he clearly loves his job and that’s why I love his job, too, because he loves it so much,” she said of what it’s been like married to a firefighter.

She said the fire department was like a second family and their sons grew up with the guys on the fire department.

“It’s a big family thing,” Tena said. “The community has been overwhelming. They saw his picture in the paper and they ... congratulated him. Our community is so awesome. He loves our community.”

She said she was “super excited” for Brooks’ retirement.

Ed Kipker retired seven years ago after serving as a firefighter for 35 years. He helped hire Brooks onto the Warsaw Fire Department.

“He was a volunteer before we hired him, so we knew him really well, and his dad was a captain of the volunteers, so he had been around here ever since he was a little boy, and he lived fire department so I thought he was a great choice for it, and it turned out he was a great choice,” Kipker said.

He said Brooks is dedicated to the job and to the people and that makes him a great firefighter. “He cares about the people he works over and the people of the community,” Kipker said.

Brooks retiring is good for Brooks, Kipker said, but bad for the department “because they’re losing one of the best firemen I’ve ever seen.”

Fire Marshal Joe Fretz has known Brooks his whole life.

“We kind of lived in the same neighborhood, grew up together. Got in the fire service somewhat together. He started before I did as a volunteer, then I became a volunteer after he did. Known him for quite a while. He’s been a great firefighter, a great asset for us here in Warsaw, and he’ll be missed,” Fretz said.

Though he’s been with the fire department for less than a year, Fire Chief Brian Mayo is losing two battalion chiefs this week to retirement. Along with Brooks on Wednesday, Mike Brubaker’s retirement party is 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Station No. 2.

“There’s no description or no accounting for that years of experience in the time that we’re losing as a department. I’ve asked them repeatedly to stay, but I also appreciate the fact that they want to retire and move on,” Mayo said. “The things they have done for the department, you can’t put a price tag or timeframe on them.”

He said it is good for the department to have growth, new movement and new blood come through the system.

“We’ve already done promotional processes for their two positions, and those two soon-to-be battalion chiefs have been riding with the two battalion chiefs that are retiring for some time now to get all the information and all the tricks of the trade out of them before they leave. We’ve tried to do it right. I don’t know if we could have done it any better or any other way. But, I’m excited for them and sad at the same time,” Mayo stated.

Capt. Brian Zehring said he’s known Brooks for about four years after Brooks came to “A” shift as the battalion chief and it’s been great to work under him.
“He’s very easygoing. Good to work for. Definitely will tell you like it is, whether you like it or not, but he’s very upfront and he’s laid back and fun to work with,” Zehring said.
He said the department has tried to absorb as much information from Brooks as they can. “But, you’re not always going to get everything out of him because he’s probably got so much stored in his memory banks that we’ll never reach that point,” Zehring said.
The biggest thing Brooks doesn’t like? Breakfast for dinner, Zehring said. “So, of course, we had it many times.”
Mayor Joe Thallemer was unable to attend the retirement party, but Mayo read a statement from him. Thallemer said last week he had a visit with Brooks about his years with the city.
“I’m certain in his 25 years that Brooks has provided caring, professional response to many people in need of assistance,” he said, in part. “In addition to his skills as a first responder, Brooks’ leadership on A shift as a battalion chief the last five years has impacted the department in many positive ways. It’s an honor for me to wish Brooks and his family the very best as he retires from the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory on a job well done.”
Mayo then read his own comments, which, in part, said Brooks’ sacrifices seen and unseen “have left a lasting impact on our department and the people we serve, no doubt.”

Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Battalion Chief Brooks Huffer received this axe as a retirement gift Wednesday during his retirement party. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union