By Joel Spears

CHURCH HILL — Dual passions in life influenced Church Hill Alderman Bill Killen to recently write and publish “Firefighting With Henry’s Model T,” a collection of photographs and short stories that examines a century of firefighting with the Model T Ford.
    “It took me 40 hours per week for about six months to complete and I loved every minute of it,” Killen said proudly.  “It was difficult to make print deadline because more and more information would come up as I researched material for the project.”
    Killen is admittedly a fire apparatus history buff and his interest doesn’t stop at research.
    He became a volunteer firefighter with Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Department in Indian Head, Maryland at age 16.  There, in June 1960 he was appointed a probationary firefighter with the Naval Ordnance Station Fire Department.
    His life in fire service grew into a 52-year career that culminated with service at Kennedy Space Center Fire Department, where he was part of the Apollo and Skylab Astronaut Rescue Teams.
    He also served as director of the Navy Fire and Emergency Services from 1985 until 2004 and fire chief of Holston Army Ammunition Plant at Allandale from 2005 until 2006.
    The latter brought him to Church Hill where he lives with his wife of almost 50 years, Carole, and was elected Alderman last July.
    With a broad personal collection of historical photographs of fire fighting vehicles, Killen said rather than develop a pictorial history book, he wanted “to capture significant stories of each apparatus” that allow people to see their importance to firefighting.
    “Firefighting with Henry’s Model T” covers vehicles from Long Island to L.A. and Oregon to Illinois, but the most important thing, Killen said, is the benefit he hopes organizations receive from book sales.
    All proceeds will benefit the International Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation, the Model T Ford Club of America Museum, the Model T Ford Club International Foundation, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the National Fire Heritage Center.
    In addition to this most recent work, Killen has authored several papers for fire service technical publications, including the “Navy Marine Corps Fire Apparatus 1836-2000 Photo Gallery,” co-authored the history of Kennedy Space Center Fire Department and is a contributing author for the book “Firefighters.” 
    He is also working on an inspirational book titled, “Then Sings My Soul.”
    In his spare time, Killen has also restored a 1923 Stoughton 350 GPM Rotary Gear fire engine and is currently researching the history of Stoughton Wagon Works.
    Other accomplishments to his credit include: past-president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, service on the IAFC Board of Directors, and current vice-president of the National Fire Heritage Center (Heritage Hall of America’s Fire Services and Fire Protection Disciplines, Inc). 
    He also represents the International Association of Fire Chiefs on the board of the International Fire Service Research Center and Policy Institute, is a past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation and currently serves on its board of directors.
    In addition to these firefighting organizations, he is a member of the Model T Ford Club of America, Model T Ford Club International, and Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Motorized Fire Apparatus in America, the Antique Automobile Club of America, Antique Truck Historical Society, and a member of the Bristol, VA/TN Fire Museum board of directors.
    On Monday, August 25, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., Killen will be selling and signing copies of “Firefighting with Henry’s Model T” at Church Hill Public Library, located off Highway 11W behind Church Hill Shopping Center.

joel.spears@therogersvillereview.com