The Henderson Fire Department was the place to be Friday as colleagues, family and friends paid tribute to Trent Ayscue, who retired after more than three decades of service.
Ayscue, who retired as a battalion chief, said he’d entertain the idea of coming back to work part-time after the required month of separation after retirement, and if he does, he was clear as to what he’d like to do:
“If I come back to work, it’s going to be as a firefighter,” Ayscue said, “to give back where I started. One hundred percent suppressing fire,” he said.
Former Fire Chief Danny Wilkerson called Ayscue a firefighter from the “old school,” and Ayscue agreed. He said that he and the late Steve Cordell started as volunteers at the Watkins Fire Department when they were 15 years old.
Fire Chief Tim Twisdale said he learned a lot from Ayscue, who already was in a leadership role when Twisdale joined the ranks in 2000.
In remarks to those gathered for a retirement celebration, Twisdale said Ayscue had “consistently and solidly put in service for the citizens of Henderson.” He also thanked Ayscue’s family for sharing him with the fire department.
“Thank you for your time, your love and your commitment to make us a better place,” Twisdale said. “We truly appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts.”
Being a firefighter requires passion, Ayscue said. “It’s a calling. You’re not going to get rich doing it. You have to have dedication…you have to be on your ‘A’ game every day.”
Twisdale said he and Ayscue have had the opportunity to team up as instructors at Vance-Granville Community College and to participate in live burn exercises, allowing them to take off the administrative hat for a bit.
“He and I still love to put that gear on and fight the fire ourselves, too,” Twisdale said.
He said Ayscue has been a good motivator for young firefighters, encouraging them to grow, learn and pick up on skills.
