From staff reports
Sunday afternoon, Aug. 10, at the Burton Fire District Station 84 Captain, mechanic Ralph Neiderhiser celebrated his retirement with family, friends, and coworkers from both his past and present.
Neiderhiser began his service more than 60 years ago as a volunteer firefighter for his home town in Pennsylvania. He eventually was hired as a mechanic for Hilton Head Fire and Rescue and retired after 20 years.
He continued in the fire service as a fire chief for the Point South Volunteer Fire Department before being hired as a mechanic for the Burton Fire District in 2005, and in 2013 he was selected as the Fire Officer of the Year.
Neiderhiser, with his iconic cowboy hat that he is never without, has been responsible for ensuring the maintenance and safe operation for the Burton Fire District’s emergency vehicles, as well as small engines and other equipment, and has earned the trust and respect of those who operate them. His knowledge and skills grew and expanded as fire apparatus became more computerized. He was once described as such a talented mechanic “he could figure out how to weld two pieces of wood together if they needed to be.”
Three of Ralph’s grandsons followed him into the fire service and are fire officers in South Carolina fire departments.
