Gary Simpkins has worked for the Quitman Volunteer Fire Dept., “Fifty three years and counting, almost 54.”

In the beginning, Simpkins didn’t have any desire to be a firefighter. He had just finished serving two years in the Army as a paratrooper in the Vietnam War. He had seen a lot of things, spending most of that time on patrol in the Cam Ranh Bay area watching the roads and escorting convoys, making sure troops stayed safe. He had thought he was done with dangerous situations and had settled into life with his wife Annette, whom he married while at Fort Bragg. N.C. 

However, Simpkins visited with Red Burks at his store in Quitman, and the fire chief at the time kept trying to recruit him to join the QVFD. Simpkins finally relented after several conversations and joined on Jan. 11, 1971. And he never looked back or regretted it.

Simpkins was like most when he started the job, thinking it was mostly about the fires. One thing he’s come to learn over the years is that it’s about so much more.

As far as the work itself goes, Quitman VFD assists at more wrecks than fires.

“The wrecks we have, some of them are horrendous,” stated Simpkins. QVFD is often first on scene, seeing the devastation before anyone else. It’s a lot for a volunteer firefighter to process at times.

Simpkins has seen some firefighters give it up over the years after working a bad wreck or being at a scene that involves a child. 

Simpkins said he’s learned that he has to “let it go” and “to focus on the ones we can help” so that he can keep serving the community.

To help his firefighters after particularly gruesome events, Simpkins has brought in folks from Tyler to counsel his firefighters and has held some additional talks with his men.

Even though most are “tough guys,” he will have them sit in a circle and work through their thoughts after an event to make sure everyone is coping in healthy ways, a practice which current Chief Scott Wheeler has continued.

Simpkins always talked things over with his wife Annette to help him work through any emotions after a traumatic call and encourages his firefighters to also confide in their loved ones to help them work through their feelings. It can be a very emotional job, so it’s just as important to Simpkins and Wheeler to equip their men with ways to cope as it is to equip their firefighters with the physical tools. 

In addition to working wrecks, the department handles its fair share of fires. Simpkins said most fires usually happen in the summer when the grass is growing and it’s dry, but they have also experienced many busy times around the holidays. Simpkins mentioned one Christmas day several years ago when they had 13 fires. 

Unattended fires are high on the list of incidents for QVFD. Brush piles should be monitored closely the whole time they are being burned.

He said the most common cause of fires in this area are people who weren’t watching a fire they started closely enough. 

Simpkins suggested that some people should consider using a burn barrel with a metal screen over it so that fire is more contained, burning small amounts over a few days to reduce the risk of setting a fire.

Some calls occasionally have happy endings. Simpkins spoke about a woman at the beginning of the year who was in a bad wreck that resulted in her being impaled with the top rail of a fence. They had to cut the fence rail just enough to get her out of the vehicle and into an ambulance. The woman survived and came back to the fire station with her family months later to thank all the men who helped her that day. She brought them a meal and ice cream and was able to spend time with the guys letting them know how much she and her family appreciated them saving her life.  

Simpkins has also made sure to properly equip the department to perform the job. He sends all the firefighters to training – 33 lessons that involve everything from ropes and knots to pumps. It’s not cheap, but Simpkins set a standard for his men and women to always be properly trained and prepared.

While they do have a budget from the city, it is not enough to cover everything for the department. The training courses aren’t cheap, so Simpkins sends out a letter every year to all who live in the area the QVFD serves asking for donations. They also do fundraisers throughout the year. All the money raised goes to training and investing in the best equipment available. He has sent many firefighters to fire school at Texas A&M-College Station over the years and has also acted as an instructor with Wheeler on many occasions. 

Training is so important to Simpkins that he initiated a training school in Quitman for firefighters where they practice drills twice a month. The site has shipping containers stacked vertically and horizontally that are used to practice rappelling and working scenarios inside and outside the containers. 

QVFD holds drills twice a month, practicing everything from quickly putting on their uniforms to checking their self-contained breathing apparatus to actually fighting a fire. QVFD allows other fire departments to utilize their training center as long as a QVFD member is available to observe. 

Simpkins credits the training center as one of his two major accomplishments during his tenure. In addition to taking pride in the training facility that bears his name, Simpkins is also proud to equip the firemen with the best and newest equipment available.

Simpkins takes this one personally. Volunteer firefighting looked a lot different 50 years ago at QVFD.

“You fought fire with whatever you had on (back then),” he said. “You had shorts on, you had a dress suit and tie. You fought fire with whatever you had on. We had little to no bunker gear.”

Simpkins said that the department acquired about three or four bunker coats from Dallas FD “that Dallas should have thrown away.”

Simpkins mentioned having to borrow a pair of boots one year to be a firefighter on a Christmas parade float because he didn’t have any boots. He said he wore an old helmet in the parade, but they weren’t suitable to wear to real fires.

After becoming the chief, Simpkins worked hard over the years to procure good gear for the volunteers.

“Why not have the best gear?” He said. “We work hard to raise extra money. And we’re talking about a person’s life. So why would you want to buy cheap gear that’s going to get somebody hurt?”

The department tries to reuse gear if possible when they have a new recruit, but they prioritize getting whatever the man or woman needs that fits them properly over reusing gear. 

Simpkins leaves a legacy of safety and training as he officially retires this week. Simpkins served as Quitman’s chief from 1981 to 2008. He is retiring with the title of “Director of Fire & Safety Administration.”

To celebrate his accomplishments, the City of Quitman is hosting a retirement party for him at the Quitman Public Library on Oct. 17 from 4:30-6 p.m.