A robust congregation of family members, former colleagues and local officials came to honor the memory of recently-passed Mount Pleasant Fire Chief Fred Tetor on March 22, as a plaque featuring his image was publicly unveiled outside Fire Station 1.
While Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie recalled Tetor's love and dedication he showed for the town as both a police officer and firefighter, Councilmember Carl Ritchie spoke about how the fire official's commitment to service was felt across all lines and jurisdictions.
The outpouring of heartfelt admiration for Tetor — who passed on Oct. 22 at the age of 78 — was eloquently communicated by former firefighter and one-time St. Johns District Chief Robert Wagenbrenner. Tetor's longtime colleague described the Ridgewood, New Jersey native as a mentor, coach, teacher, leader, role model, friend and also a father figure.
The former Navy man, who left behind three children, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to Wagenbrenner, perfectly embodied the "service above self" public service mantra during his promotion to fire chief of a decimated department in 1990. The town agency, he pointedly remarked, had been rocked by controversy.
"Chief Tetor stepped up to fire chief and said: 'We got to do something different; we got to do something better.' He knew to be a good firefighter, you need to be good at extinguishing fires ... emergency medical care. But he said there's something more. There's got to be character, there's got to be integrity, values, morals. There's something more to being a firefighter," he recounted.
Wagenbrenner shared memories of his first encounter with Tetor at a Charleston County training session, and reported coming away impressed with the old fire chief's presence, professionalism and passion he spoke with in terms of bringing honor to the profession.
As a result of the chief's focus on character, now all prospective firefighters must prove their human decency prior to earning their badges, as mandated by a state standards bill.Â
Tetor would later go on to spearhead the Maritime Assistance Program (MAP) specializing in fighting boat fires in local port areas.
Further, attendees at the dedication ceremony were apprised of the chief's efforts to pave the way for the Mount Pleasant Fire Department to emerge as the first agency of its kind in the state to be certified by the Commission of Fire Accreditations International in 2001.
That recognition, Wagenbrenner explained, obligates fire departments to continually strive for improvement and not rest on their laurels.
Beyond Tetor's professional accomplishments, the chief's friend and colleague also highlighted his sincere care for fellow firefighters. During his tenure, Wagenbrenner detailed how the chief successfully reduced first responder on-duty time by 576 hours annually, while also mandating 24 fewer shifts. Despite the lighter workload, however, firefighter wages remained status quo.
Beyond all the accolades expressed on Tetor's behalf during the Friday morning celebration, what Ritchie was most proud of was his last conversation with the chief before he died. During the exchange, the council member and former police chief promised Tetor that the Town would dedicate Fire Station 1 to his memory.
"If you could have seen his face light up and the tremendous sense of pride that came over him, it makes this moment so important and so special to me," remarked Ritchie.
