Firefighter Jim Kotowski takes the first slice of pizza Friday as his partner, Scott Bullock, and step-son, Shaun Trant, wait their turn at a party on the last day of Kotowski’s 37-year career at the Westfield Fire Department. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
WESTFIELD – There have been a lot of changes at the fire department in the past 37 years and Jim Kotowski has seen most of them.
Kotowski was the focus of attention Friday as his colleagues gathered at fire headquarters to mark his retirement from the force.
Kotowski said that technology has changed the way firefighters work.
“You almost have to specialize now,” he said. “There’s no job like it. It’s like a big family.”
For Kotowski it is literally true that it’s like working with family since, for the last four years at least, he has been working side-by-side with his step-son, Shaun Trant, at Station Two.
Kotowski said he has worked with the same group at the department for his whole career and has spent his last 17 years on the job at the department’s Little River Road sub-station.
He has worked primarily as an EMT.
“I did pretty much my whole career on the ambulance” he said. “You feel good you were able to help somebody at their time of need.”
Kotowski’s boss, Dep. Chief Andrew Hart, said that although he is happy for his friend he’s also sorry to see him go.
“I’m losing a guy I can rely on” he said. “A guy with a ton of experience, a ton of knowledge” which he has been able to count on during the years he has worked with Kotowski.
