Lampasas Firefighter Recognized for 70 Years of Service

KWTX's Chelsea Edwards reported that the Lampasas Fire Department honored a volunteer for several decades of service to the team on Wednesday.

Donald "Duck" Rathmanm, 86,became a volunteer fireifghter for Lampasas Fire Department when he was only 16 years old.

Rathmanm said that his father and grandfather were both firefighters as well, and at one point Rathmanm was a firefighter on Fort Hood as well as with Lampasas.

Rathmanm brought up a time when him and a fire chief had a close encounter battling a grass fire years ago. Rathmanm said, "That fire was about to get us." He also said, "It was moving pretty fast, and we were both about give out, couldn't run anymore, and he came and pulled right in front of us, and we got on the truck and got out of there."

Rathmanm received a certificate on Wednesday for his 70 years of service from the Mayor of Lampasas, and a flag from Republican U.S. Representive Roger Williams out of Austin. Rathmanm said he will continue to serve as a member of the Lampasas Fire Department as long as he can.