Dallas fire chief wins regional honor

Gaston Gazette (Gastonia, NC)

Jan. 31--At some point toward the end of 2018, Dallas Fire Chief Steve Lambert will ride out on his last fire call, bringing an end to 43 years of firefighting service.

As he responds to that last call, however, Lambert will carry with him an unexpected honor -- being named Fire Chief of the Year by the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters.

Lambert had no idea he had been nominated for the prestigious award, by Assistant Fire Chief Earl Withers III and the department's other officers, until he received notice that he had won.

"This caught me totally by surprise," said Lambert in an interview at the Dallas fire station. "I'm very appreciative of Earl and the other folks who put this together on my behalf."

Lambert has served as chief of the Dallas department -- a part-time position -- since 2005. Previously he worked for three decades for the Gastonia Fire Department, rising to the rank of administrative captain and receiving the Legion of Merit award and the Medal of Valor during those years. He plans to retire before the end of the year.

"I had no formal fire training whatever when I started the job back in the '70s," Lambert remembered. "Back then, we learned on the job. My hose training came from going out and hosing down the parking lot."

Lambert said the reason becoming a firefighter appealed to him back in 1975 was a simple one -- "24 hours on and 48 hours off. That meant I worked 10 days a month and had the other 20 to hunt and fish."

As time passed, however, Lambert grew to love the job and rose through the ranks to a leadership position.

Looking back on those decades of service, Lambert said he has seen, "the best in people and the worst in people."

The best, he explained, were the firefighters, especially volunteers, risking their lives to save others. The worst, he said, was seen in those who died of drug overdoses.

Dallas Mayor Rick Coleman noted that during Lambert's tenure as chief he led the effort to build a new fire station, improved training for firefighters, and applied for and received numerous grants to help with the cost of new trucks and other new equipment. "This has resulted in a better ISO rating for the town and lowered the cost of homeowners' insurance for its citizens."

Town Manager Maria Stroupe echoed those comments but added, "Chief Lambert has exhibited, through his years with Dallas, a deep caring for the firefighters he commands, as well as the community as a whole. There is no doubt that he has the best interest of others as a driving motivation."

In their letter of nomination, Withers and the other officers also noted that Lambert worked to bring back Dallas' annual Christmas parade, a tradition which had died, and also began the tradition of taking Santa to the Robin Johnson Hospice House to visit with the terminally ill residents and provide them with fruit baskets.

Asked what the honor of being chosen as Western North Carolina Fire Chief of the Year means to him, Lambert answered, "This is one of the top things to happen to me. Other than saving someone's life, this is one of the best things I can think of."

Bill Poteat may be reached at 704-869-1855.

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