Zeeland Fire Chief Bill Gruppen started out like any kid who wanted to be a firefighter and “chase fires,” but he soon came to love the camaraderie of the team more than anything else.
“The firefighter family is referred to often, and you’ll see that when somebody gets hurt at a fire. I mean, it’s everybody supporting that person. … If they go to the hospital for treatment, everybody will be going there to visit them,” he said. “Every time you go in, your life depends on somebody else.”
It has been more than five decades since a 21-year-old Gruppen first the Zeeland Fire Department in 1964.
He was first elected assistant chief in 1973. By the time he retires in November, Gruppen will have been chief for 38 years.
Much has changed in his 52 years on the department.
When Gruppen joined the force, it had fewer than half the firefighters it has now, but all 15 men showed up to every fire call then. Now, with the advent of manufacturing in Zeeland (the city’s 5,000-person population doubles each day with workers), many of the 33 part-paid firefighters can’t leave the factory line to help at each call.
Every firefighter had to be voted in unanimously by his fellow teammates. Now, each firefighter has to go through the academy to qualify.