Former Morris Deputy Fire Chief Wills honored for four decades of service

Firefighters kicked off a day full of training Sunday by honoring former Morris Fire Deputy Chief Bob Wills for four decades of service with the Morris, presenting him with a plaque recognizing his many years of dedicated service to the Chief Shabbona Fire Training Association.

Wills retired from the Morris Fire Department in January.

“I started in May of 1978, so I have just shy of 45 years,” Wills said. “At that time it was volunteer, we transitioned to paid on call and then went into where we were paid. I’ve seen a lot of changes. Technology is probably the biggest change, just the new things that are coming up today that we didn’t have back in the day.”

Wills said there are some calls that stick out over his almost 45 years. Some are good and some are bad.

“A tragic day was when I lost my best friend Jimmy in a basement fire,” Wills said. “That has stuck with me all these years, but I don’t like to dwell on that because it’s too painful. But there have been other calls, there are so many, there’s no way I could name them all. But it’s been a great career, I wish I could do another 40 years.”

Wills said he still spends time working with firefighters even though he’s retired, and called the fire service the greatest job on earth.

“The fire service is the greatest job on earth,” Will said. “This is what it’s all about, the kids learning and having environments where they can learn. Just learning the tricks of the trades and how to stay safe. This has been a great fire school and I got to see it transition after all these years.”

The Chief Shabbona Fire Training Association also recognized Fire School Chair Charlie Boyd, who served several years with the Braidwood Fire Department and still serves as a trustee with the Braidwood Fire Protection District.

“Charlie does not know, but with all the many years you’ve put in with the association, this year we’re also going to recognize you for your many years of service on helping us out and keeping us organized,” Chief Shabbona President Jim Dunning said, presenting Boyd with the Pow Wow Service Award. “Without this, we never would be able to do this at all. I can remember back in 1988 when I took my first class, you were my instructor.”

More than 60 firefighters from 15 different departments joined the training at the Constellation Energy Midwest Fire Training Academy east of Morris, and Wills noted the importance of continuing education for firefighters. The academy in Morris gives departments from rural areas and smaller towns quality training they wouldn’t typically have access to.

“In the bigger cities they have a lot of resources that they can get to immediately, but in smaller towns we don’t always have that, we have to rely on mutual aid,” Wills said. “I think you have a sense of community in the smaller towns, it’s different. But, all firefighters, it’s the greatest bunch of guys. I don’t care where you’re from, I don’t care if you go into the biggest city or the smallest fire agency, all the firefighters are just alike. They’ll welcome you with open arms.”

The Pow Wow Fire School started in 1971 at the old Grundy County Fairgrounds in Mazon, and for more than a decade has been held at the Constellation Energy Collins Substation firefighter training facility in Morris.

The Pow Wow school helps firefighters from smaller departments get training they need without having to rely on more costly fire academies. The Community Foundation of Grundy County provides an annual grant to the Pow Wow from the Collins and Sprague Endowment for Fire Science.