Excerpts from the Dailyherald.com:
Since 1931, there’s always been a Herrmann with the fire department in Hampshire.
John Herrmann Sr. helped found the volunteer fire department in Hampshire in 1931 and served for 45 years. His son John Jr. spent 25 years there, but the streak ends May 16 when Chief Trevor Herrmann retires after 36 years with the Hampshire Fire Protection District.
John Herrmann Sr., right, helped found a volunteer fire department in Hampshire in 1931 with Sev Dumoulin and Walter Carlson. Courtesy of Trevor Herrmann
When you add the five years Trevor’s mom, Diane, worked as an EMT, the four have put in 111 years of service. And that’s not counting two uncles and a cousin who put in more than 50 years combined.
“There’s been a Herrmann here since day one,” Trevor Herrmann said. “I’m very proud of my family and the history we’ve had here.”
Trevor Herrmann joined the fire service near the end of his dad’s career in 1989, when it was still all volunteers.
John Herrmann Sr., left, and his son John Jr. served a combined 70 years in the Hampshire fire service. Courtesy of Trevor Herrmann
In 1995, they started having problems finding enough volunteers for the growing community and went to a hybrid paid/volunteer model. He became the first full-time firefighter/paramedic. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1993, then deputy chief in 2012 and appointed chief in 2020.
His father had been battling cancer when Trevor was sworn in as chief on Jan. 7. He died two weeks later.
When he became chief in 2020, they had just seven full-timers. When he leaves, they’ll have 15 full-timers and 25 part-timers. They also opened a second station last May and remodeled Station 1.
The Hampshire Fire Protection District covers 42 square miles of area and roughly nine miles of I-90. Call volume has gone up more than 60% in the last five years. They’re already well above the pace from last year.
Dave Schmidt will be sworn in to replace him on May 14. Schmidt was most recently assistant chief with the South Elgin Fire Department. He previously spent 31 years at the Elgin Fire Department. His dad was a longtime Rolling Meadows firefighter.
Herrmann will be honored with a walk-out ceremony at 4 p.m. May 16, at Station 1. He expects to become emotional when he walks past a line of firefighters, receives a flag and hears the final “tone out” over the radio.
Hermann family history commemorated at the fire station
thanks Rob
