Longest serving Dixon firefighter to retire after 37 years

DIXON – Lt. Keith Gabany sets a record every time he walks into work at the Dixon Fire Department.

The 64-year-old Dixon native is the longest-serving firefighter at the department, with nearly 37 years on the job.

He is also the last hold-out from the city's first class of paramedics, in 1985.

Gabany plans to solidify his record at 36 years, 10 months and 3 weeks by retiring at the end of this week.

"It’s been a good ride, and the city is in good hands,” he said. "They are better-trained than they have ever been."

Dixon fire Chief Tim Shipman, who has worked with Gabany for 23 years, said he has always maintained a level head and been humble about his impact on the department.

"You can replace the knowledge you learn in a book, but you can't replace street smarts," Shipman said. "Only time can do that."

Gabany has witnessed entire careers from start to finish, and Shipman said they would joke at the department that Gabany likely would shake a new hire's hand on the first day and last day on the job.

Gabany said he'll miss the work routine and his colleagues, but there's one aspect that he doesn't mind letting go of: "I will not miss the pager," he said, referring to a small radio hooked onto his belt. "As a fireman, you're always on call."

The firefighting profession has its challenges, but Gabany said the gratification from helping others during dire situations has no parallel.

"When you work at a fire department, you see people at their worst, and you try to be more proactive to help however you can," he said.

The loss of life is inevitable, though.

“There are times when you do everything right, and the person will still pass on and die,” he said. "You do whatever you can, but sometimes that’s not enough, and you can’t save everyone."

Although death is part of the job, firefighters see the other end of the spectrum as well as everything in between, he said.

He has delivered five babies, one of whom had her wedding photos taken at the department about 22 years after Gabany brought her into the world.

The department has greatly evolved in the past 4 decades with advances in technology and life-saving practices, he said, but the number of incidents has more than tripled.

The department would respond to about 500 calls a year at the start of Gabany's tenure as a firefighter, and that number has grown to as many as 1,900 in recent years.

Fires also burn hotter than before, fueled by more flammable materials.

“Buildings aren’t as strong as they used to be," he said. "The whole thing is more likely to collapse, and fires burn a lot hotter because there are way more plastics now."

The department has played an integral role in his life, including providing the setting in where he first met his wife, Cindy, a nurse with the Lee County Health Department.

They have been married for about 35 years and have three children: Adam, Nik and Chris.

Gabany expects to keep busy during his retirement doing maintenance work at First United Methodist Church and rekindling his hobby of making stained glass artwork. He is also considering volunteer work at community organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

In addition those plans, he said his wife will be sure to find projects for him to do around the house.

"My wife has a nice, long to-do list for me," he said. "I'm sure I'll keep busy."

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