East Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - A volunteer with the East Syracuse Fire Department was honored Tuesday for donating 75 years of service, and by the end of the surprise ceremony there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
William Lewis' 75 years of volunteer service are unparalleled in the department.
"Nobody wants to do the same thing for 75 years. You don't see marriages that go 75 years. He married himself to the volunteer fire service and the community," said East Syracuse Fire Chief Michael Cramer.
Now nearly 93-years old, Lewis is the Department's longest serving active volunteer firefighter. Joining the department was never really a choice for Lewis -- fighting fires was in his blood. "My grandfather, my father. I had two uncles and two cousins in the Fire Department," he said.
Lewis joined the department when he was just 18-years old. "I was brand new and I went down to the man that was running everything and said what do you want me to do? He said stay here and help me," he said.
He's been helping ever since.
"He was still standing on the corner directing traffic up until two-and-a-half years ago," Chief Cramer said.
One of Lewis' lasting contributions to the community will be EAVES Ambulance, which he helped form 37-years ago. In his honor, the East Syracuse Fire Department will rename bay one the William Lewis Sr. rescue bay.
"It didn't matter who they are, what they are, where they're from. He's always there with an open hand and an open heart," said Barb Falcone-Quonce from EAVES Ambulance.
Back when he used to ride the truck, Lewis would to run to the station. If he could get around as well now as he used to, everyone who knows Lewis, knows he'd still be out there helping people.
After 75 years Lewis is finally retiring, but he says the same thing still goes though his mind when he hears the sound of sirens. "The sirens will blow once and that means they've got a call," he said. "I wonder where they're going."
