'An amazing ride' -- Ron Penix ready to retire after nearly 30 years with Lodi Fire

Jul. 2—After nearly three decades, the second-in-command at Lodi Fire Department is leaving his post.

The department held a reception at Fire Station 1 Thursday afternoon to say good-bye to Deputy Chief Ron Penix, who said it was humbling to be standing in front of friends, family and co-workers and reflect on his career.

"I'm very grateful to have worked with so many amazing and wonderful people," he said. "When I first started we were the Lodi Fire Department. Over the years we tried to change that to the City of Lodi Fire Department, and that's because we're just one component of the city."

Penix, 52, was born in Stockton but graduated from Tokay High School, and received an associate's degree in Fire Science from San Joaquin Delta College.

He joined the department in 1993 after four years with the Woodbridge Rural Fire Department.

Eight years after coming to Lodi, Penix was promoted to captain, and has been working out of Station 1 in Downtown Lodi since about that time.

Fire Chief Ken Johnson teased that he had denied Penix 10 requests to retire over the last year because he was considered a great leader and mentor among his colleagues.

In fact, Johnson joked, his staff was going to keep a small cubicle for Penix at the department so he could return every once in a while and do some work during his retirement downtime.

"Although I hate to see him go, I am so thankful for his opportunity to have this retirement, and spend time with his wife, spend time with his children," he said.

Johnson said he had been trying to remember an exact time he first met Penix, but felt like the two had known each other forever, either through the fire service or as dads coaching youth basketball and baseball teams when not at work.

"A well-rounded individual," he said of Penix. "And coming to this fire department over a year ago, Ron was one of those solid foundations from which I felt I could help build a new career. Having no problem with (a new post), I had ultimate trust in this man. He probably has the hardest working ethic of any person I've ever met. He's an individual where his is service before himself. He loves this city."

Jim Inman, who retired from the department in 2002, worked with Penix since the latter came on board in 1993.

Inman said Penix was the first in the department to learn the technique of rope rescue, an operation that uses ropes, cables and other equipment to retrieve individuals from hard to reach areas such as steep grades.

Once Penix learned rope rescue, Inman said he trained their engine crew, and eventually, the entire fire department.

Inman was also the department's union representative, and joked that he and Penix would often get into arguments about union issues.

"This is a good man. He practices what he preaches," Inman said. "Probably the best testament to him, is that when somebody was in trouble, and I (really) mean in trouble, and I had to bring them in on the carpet, every single time, they wanted Ron as a witness. He is trusted as much as anyone I know."

Penix was named the department's Firefighter of the Year in May of 2003, and at the time said he was surprised to be nominated.

He was promoted to battalion chief in October of that year, then promoted to deputy chief in 2019. Former chief Gene Stoddart said at that time that Penix was able to fill a position the department hadn't had for nearly two years thanks to Measure L funds.

"It has been an amazing ride, and the fire service has been my second family," Penix said. "Many times I've spent more time with you guys than I had with my own family because we've worked 24-hour shifts. And I cannot thank you enough."