Photo by R.R. Best
Retiring Sullivan Fire Chief Mike Piper’s children present him with his Chief’s helmet that was retired during a ceremony held on December 31,2021 at the Sullivan Firehouse.

•January 5, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Sullivan Fire Chief Mike Piper was honored during a walk out ceremony at the Sullivan Firehouse Friday, December 31. Piper volunteered at the department for a year before joining on October 18, 1991.
“I was interested in it, and when I became a volunteer, I tested for an open position,” he said. Over the years he worked his way through the ranks, and in 2005 became chief when Jeff Waite retired. Through the years, Piper has seen a lot of changes including a building addition and a new roof.
One of the biggest changes he has seen is the amount of overturn of staff prior to 2005. Piper said that some saw the department as a first step to advance to careers at other departments. The biggest reason he cited was salary. There has not been a lot of turnover since 2005.
The most recent change was the purchase of the law office next door to the department which they leased out for a while and last year tore down to have additional parking. The department also has more multiple calls at once than they used to have.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.