Mansfield assistant fire Chief Jim Bishop retires after 33 years with fire department
Assistant Mansfield Fire Chief Jim Bishop retired Wednesday after 33 years with the Mansfield Fire Department with a celebration at fire station 1 at 140 E. Third St. with colleagues, city officials, family and friends.
And the well-wishers kept coming including Mayor Jodie Perry, some Mansfield judges and members of the Mansfield Police Department filed in the station.
Bishop, 60, grew up only a few doors down from what is now OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital on Vennum Avenue, graduated from Mansfield Senior High in 1982 and attended Wilmington College as a stellar athlete where he received a degree in marketing and management, only to return to his hometown in the summer of 1986 to pursue a successful career in sales “selling steel” for then AK Steel, Mansfield. He worked there for four years.
Bishop never aspired to be a firefighter; his older brother Bill hired in as a firefighter for the City of Columbus and he often spoke about his love for the fire service and would routinely advise Jim to take Mansfield’s civil service entrance exam for the fire department, Bishop said.
"All the way through college... he kept telling me to take the test (civil service) but I wasn't going to throw my college away," Bishop told media at the fire station. "I saw what he was doing, how much fun he was having."
In 1991, Jim listened to his brother’s advice and took the civil service exam, mainly for his brother. Firefighter Bishop started his career on June 20, 1991, and never looked back. The results came out several months later.
"I fell in love with it right away," he said from the packed fire station kitchen area. "People were great. The job was great," he said, reminiscing.
Bishop was promoted to the rank of captain on March 21, 1999, and to assistant chief on April 21, 2006. During his decorated career of 33 years, he has fought numerous fires and has had a positive impact on the lives and property of the citizens of Mansfield.
Bishop said it has been great working in his hometown. He always wanted to wear the word Mansfield across his jacket or shirt, having been a proud Mansfield Tyger football quarterback in his day.
Mike Carey, Mansfield assistant fire chief said, "Bishop's hard work and dedication has never wavered throughout his entire career, often heard saying, “do your job,” “don’t be a number,” and “remember your oath.
"Bishop set the bar high for both himself and his co-workers, pulling from his days as quarterback from both Senior High and Wilmington College, where his leadership skills were both well-known and respected. The City of Mansfield would like to thank you and your family for your service and your selfless dedication to the safety of its citizens. Great Advice Bill," Carey said.
Bishop and his wife Sandy have two children and three grandchildren. Sandy has 38 years of service with Mansfield Municipal Courts.
Bishop's son Bryce is a firefighter at the Delaware Fire Department and Bishop's daughter Paige Bishop works for Mansfield Municipal Courts. His nephew Scott Miller is a firefighter for the City of Columbus.
Bishop has served as a volunteer with the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program stage crew for 33 years. In his spare time, he likes to go boating at Pleasant Hill Lake and he is awaiting his new tri-toon (versus a pontoon). In retirement, he plans to work as an electrician, travel and spend his summers by the lake, Pleasant Hill Lake, and his winters in the South.
He's headed to the Kehoe Center for the Miss Ohio Forum on Saturday, the event where all the contestants come together for the first time to compete in this June's Miss Ohio show at the Renaissance Theatre.
He's been on many, many calls. Some he wishes he could forget but he said he always liked serving his city.
Bishop said he wanted to make a difference that's why he joined the fire department and that's what he said when he was interviewed for the job.
At 6:30 a.m. Thursday, he is officially retired.
"I loved the job. I love the people I worked with. "... When I wake up in the morning I'm done."
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Jim Bishop will leave his job at 6:30 a.m. Thursday for final time
