In 2001, a series of tornadoes ripped through Kosciusko County, tearing apart buildings and causing minor injuries to as many as 50 people.

The chaotic weather forced cars off of local highways, damaged boats on multiple lakes and collapsed trees and power lines throughout the county.

At the time, Matt Warren had been Warsaw's Fire Chief for just over a year and suddenly found himself in charge of helping the storm victims.

"When I took this job, they always told me 'you'll never see a tornado come through here.'

"Well," Warren said, rolling his eyes. "Talk about overwhelming."

But the fire department held together, cleaning up the damage at Da-Lite Screen Co.

"We're firemen, that's what we do," he said. "Saving people - helping people - it gets in your heart and you can't get rid of it."

Warren, who has worked with the Warsaw Fire Department for 29 years, six of those years as fire chief, is resigning from his position June 17, opting to move to Jacksonville, Fla, to be closer to his family.

While he said he's confident his successor, Mike Rice, is more than up for the job after his departure, Warren will still miss being around the firefighters he's worked with throughout his career.

"I'll definitely miss the people. There are guys here I've worked with for 20-some odd years," he said.

"My perspective has changed since I've been on this side of the desk because I'm no longer one of the guys. But it's all part of the job."

Since his promotion to fire chief, Warren has felt more like a firefighting conductor than one of the firefighters themselves.

"Nowadays, I stand back and guide the ship. It's those guys," he said, pointing to his crew in the department garage, "it's those guys that make it all work."

But Warren's seen his fair share of structural fires, automobile wrecks, personal injuries and freak accidents. He said the list goes on.

"There's a lot of stuff I can recall, it's just a matter of where you start and where you stop."

He's been threatened for not filling a resident's pool with water from a fire truck. He's rescued horses after a hay mount collapsed inside of a barn, and seen uncountable amounts of explosions, destroyed cars and charred buildings.

And as cliche as it might sound, he's rescued a cat out of a tree.

"When you see our truck lights and hear the sirens, you know someone out there is having a bad day, and we're going to try and make that day better," he said. "But that's why we're here. That's what people pay for. If you need us, you call us and we'll be there."

After his resignation and relocation to Florida, Warren said he doesn't plan on rejoining a fire department in his area. He'll be looking for something new, something more along the lines of a mechanic, which was what he initially thought he'd become before joining the fire department.

The department plans to wish Warren farewell with a reception in his honor June 30 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the WFD station, 2204 E. Center St.

"I was hoping to sneak out of here quietly," Warren said jokingly. "But I've heard we've got a reception to go to before I'm done." [[In-content Ad]]