Donald
Teuma-Castelletti
OTTER LAKE June 16, 2018
A fire chief who had served over 50 years with his crew was honoured at a party on Saturday, as the Otter Lake Fire Department wished him well in his retirement with music, speeches and a few cold beverages.
Fire Chief Rodney Vadneau was the toast of the department at the Otter Lake Fire Hall, when crew members from departments across the Pontiac joined the party for the big send-off.
“I’m glad to be getting out now, while the paperwork isn’t too high,” laughed Vadneau.
Surrounded by co-workers, neighbours, friends and family, Vadneau had the fire hall laughing as he thanked everyone for their continued support year-after-year.
First joining the department in 1967, Vadneau quickly rose the ranks to become chief just five years later.
“When I first started with the fire department, the garden hose was your best friend,” said Vadneau, with a laugh. “We saved a lot of basements.”
While not everyday was a cause for celebration, Vadneau was proud to share that his crew helped as many as they could over the years and that he was fortunate to have to chance to do so for as long as he did. Vadneau’s career extended all the way up to 2018, a total of 51 years, when he served his last day as chief at the end of April.

However, Vadneau hasn’t left the department in empty hands. Taking up the reins in his place as chief is Denis Chaussé, with both Vadneau’s brother and son still serving with the crew.
“He helped to build [the department] to what it is today,” said Otter Lake Mayor Kim Cartier-Villeneuve. “He saw a lot of changes in administration and supported all of those new challenges.”
The mayor also highlighted both his leadership and knowledge as crucial to the department’s continued success.
“Rodney left us in good hands with Denis Chaussé and his team,” she said. “The community is very proud of our department and very fortunate to have them.”
As for some reflection of the many years of serving his community? Vadneau was proud to say that no amount of plaques on the wall could compare to the simple thank-you he’d hear from his neighbours.
“I got a lot of awards but thank-you’s were the best ones I could get,” he said.
Of course, Vadneau had one thank-you to share of his own and that was to his family, for their support through many years of firefighting.
“My special thanks is going to my wife, who spent a few lonely nights, days, hours, while I was off some place else, playing with my hose,” he said, to the gathered crowd.