A Lifelong Dedication To Firefighting & Fire Safety
Since his first day as a volunteer firefighter in 1963, Ron Hamm has been an avid collector of all things fire-related. His first acquisition was a patch from the Huntertown station where he served. Today, he proudly owns more than 7,000 unique patches from across the United States.
While in high school at Huntertown (now Carroll), the local fire chief trained Ron and 17 other boys to help fight fires. Without them, there would have been very few responders available. Ron recalls thinking, “If I was having so much fun doing this, why not get paid for it?”
Over the next 45 years, Ron led a storied career in fire service. In 1968, he was sworn into the Fort Wayne Fire Department, where he served as an instructor, assistant fire chief in nearly every capacity, and captain at Stations #5 in Waynedale, #13 on N. Clinton, and #18 at Homestead and Liberty Mills Roads, where he eventually retired. He also joined the Poe Fire Department as a volunteer in 1978 and still serves today, keeping records of run responses. Since 1974, Ron has also been a board member of the Fire Fighters Museum downtown, where he volunteers weekly to share artifact history and fire safety tips.
Captain Kenny Girardot of the FWFD shares: “I have known Ron since 1994 when he was my instructor at Ivy Tech. His dedication and admiration for fire service were evident in his teaching. Ron was always willing to help at all levels in both his fire service career and as a volunteer.”
Ron’s love of the fire service extends to his vast memorabilia collection, which fills an entire room of his home. His collection includes helmets, nozzles, framed photos, die-cast fire trucks, Matchbox cars, Code 3 collectibles, and even a chrome-plated fire axe. An International Harvester truck reminds him of his time training the fire brigade there. He also has more than 600 bound fire magazines, each volume inscribed with his name. Walking past the fire helmets lining his doorway, Ron is reminded daily of his years on active duty. What he misses most, he says, is helping people when they are most vulnerable—whether in a fire or vehicle accident.
The patches, however, remain closest to his heart. Each one is a symbol of pride and tells a story. One from Clayton, near Atlanta, depicts a fire suit hanging on a hook covered in cobwebs, symbolizing the few calls they receive. Another, from the North Pole, features a Christmas theme. Ron also treasures the many patches from New York companies, made more meaningful by his friendships with men who served there during 9/11.
Ron often trades patches with fellow collectors at fire training seminars and attends the New Haven Fire Muster, hosted every other year, to swap and share his collection.
Reflecting on his career, Ron says that training new firefighters was one of his greatest privileges. Passing on his knowledge and experience gave him pride in continuing to strengthen the fire service.
Among Ron’s many experiences, one stands out. While off duty, he came upon a car accident where a vehicle had hit a tree and caught fire. Ron pulled the driver to safety and later received the Meritorious Service Award from the FWFD for saving a life.
Ron says his years as a firefighter shaped him into the man he is today. Three years into his career, while fighting a fire at the Alpine Restaurant at Pontiac and Calhoun Streets, a smoke explosion blew bricks from the walls. He remembers thinking, “This is going to be a short-lived career!” That moment, he says, is when he learned to fall on his faith. In fact, he has provided Bibles to all Fort Wayne, Huntertown, and Southwest Fire District departments.
Today, Ron lives in a log home built in the 1870s that he affectionately calls the “Hammstead.” He has three daughters and is a proud grandfather of seven, with his first great-grandchild on the way.
October is National Fire Prevention Month, led by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to raise fire safety awareness. Fire Prevention Week, held the second week of October, commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The month is a reminder to check smoke alarms, practice escape plans, and be cautious around cooking and heating equipment.
Hamm hopes his story and his collection, serve as reminders of the dedication of firefighters and the importance of fire safety.
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