EAST ALTON - Rodney Palmer is ending a long, successful career with the East Alton Fire Department.
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Palmer’s last official day to be employed will be May 31. He started his career as an engineer in April 1990.
“I am ready for the next chapter,” he said Tuesday. “I have had a great career here, but it is time for the next chapter.”
Palmer said he has loved serving the people in firefighting and said it is very much “a brotherhood” with the other firefighters.
“I enjoy teaching the younger firefighters,” he said. “I have seen a lot of new guys come up from Explorer posts to paid-on-call hires. That has been one of the most enjoyable parts of the job, seeing those people grow. I also like the capacity of being able to help people and do whatever I can.”
Rodney’s wife, Lori, is the East Alton Village clerk. She will remain in that job, he said. They have two children, one a daughter, Nikki, married to Scott Duncan in Alton with a daughter, and his son, Nathan, and his wife, Melissa, live in Florida and have three children.
He describes Lori as his largest support throughout everything.
“We have been married 36 years last October,” Rodney said.
Chief Palmer said firefighters play such an important role in people’s lives during a time they feel the world is falling around them.
“Most of the time when we are called, people are really distraught and we have to help them fix what is wrong whether it is medical or a fire,” he said. We have to deal with the situations. It has been nice to help people. As I move on I want to be able to help people in some capacity.”Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.
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