CLIFTON — Roughly one month ago, 50-year-old Deputy Fire Chief Thomas V. Lyons, Jr. decided that 31 years of fighting fires was enough. It was not an easy decision to make, but man can only endure so much, and firefighters can only be heroes for so long.

At 8 a.m. last Saturday Lyons donned his uniform for one last 24-hour shift. At 4 p.m., he hosted a farewell dinner at the station for anyone who wished to join him, from coworkers to friends to family.

As of 8 a.m., on Sunday, Nov. 2, Lyons was officially a retired firefighter – finally having rightfully earned some peace, quiet and time with his wife and two sons.

Stepping in as acting Deputy Fire Chief is Henry Cholewczyniski.

"I look forward to finally slowing down and spending more time with my family. It [was] tough, because it is an everyday job and I have been involved in many groups outside the fire department. However, I will miss the brotherhood of the fire department. I will miss the camaraderie and my friends. I will miss the cooperation with the businesses and media.

"There are some things you see though – things you almost wish you hadn’t. Things you will never forget. Things you can never forget," Lyons said hesitantly, "But, still, [there are moments that] are very rewarding."

He recalls one of the most intense calls he ever tended, "A flatbed spun out of control on Route 3. There was a huge pile-up and people were pinned in vehicles. There were some big fires, and I had to make some quick choices as to what to take care of first and who needed rescuing first."

When asked about the difficulty in making quick decisions he says, "The training is excellent. It really prepares you to make those choices."

Over the course of his 31 years, Lyons has helped advance training and bring new technology to the department. He comments on two technological advancements that have become necessary to the job.

"Thermal imaging is very important. With it we can search for people trapped in smoke-filled conditions. We can also use it to map the spreading of fire.

"The defibrillator is also something I was personally involved in implementing."

Lyons has seen many fatalities as a result of fires and automobile accidents. He also heroically made the trip to Ground Zero on 9/11 – one of the worst calls for him. However, when it comes down to it, it is the little things that add up.

"The toughest things today are illegal housing issues. Unfortunately, [much] of the elderly are in bad health. It’s hard when someone calls because they haven’t seen their neighbor in a couple of days. We go in and [the resident] is in bad shape. Or a child is hurt due to adult negligence."

Still, Lyons smiles and recalls some truly rewarding moments. "We got a call in ’85 and a woman was in labor. We delivered the child right there in the back of an ambulance. A few years ago, a young man came up to me in a restaurant and thanked me. He said, ‘I’m alive because of you.’"

The long road to becoming a deputy fire chief began at a young age.

"I grew up on Morris Road and used to visit the firehouse a lot as a kid," said Lyons. His fascination soon turned to passion for the job and the excitement.

"I got to know some of the guys. High school is when I really got into it. Afterwards, they asked me if I wanted to work in dispatch [and I agreed,]" said Lyons. In 1977, he began his career as a fire alarm operator (dispatcher) whose responsibility was to, "receive telephone and alarm system requests for emergency fire/ambulance responses, and dispatching of emergency vehicles via radio communications system."

In 1981, Lyons was promoted to public safety officer. He would now be assigned the tasks of, "fire fighting, providing emergency medical services and fire-police control." In 1988 he became a fire lieutenant, where he would undertake supervisor duties.

By 1993, Lyons would become a fire captain, doubling his load until he was finally prepared to take on the full responsibilities of a deputy fire chief in 1998.

"[As a deputy fire chief,] responsibilities [were] to supervise and command 33 fire officers and firefighters during 24-hour shifts at various fire, rescue, medical and hazardous materials emergencies," said Lyons.

Even though his strong dedication to the fire department left him with a bizarre schedule and little time for himself, Lyons also committed to providing safety elsewhere, such as Passaic County Community College.

In 1998, the same year he took the role of deputy fire chief, Lyons became a fire science coordinator at the school. In 2001, he became a public safety academy administrator, and in 2007, he became a safety and compliance manager; a job he intends to keep after retirement.

"[I am] responsible for maintenance and readiness of fire protection alarms and equipment," said Lyons.

For Lyons, retiring from the fire department seems to be an emotionally double-edged sword.

Fire Lt. Robert Hoogmoed said, "[Lyons] always had the best interest of the fire department and the community. He made sure that important information went public so everyone knew what was going on. He started the free Thanksgiving dinner and safety fair from scratch, and now everyone is involved."

Without being asked, Lyons makes one final comment. "I work as a security supervisor at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, [Pa.]. [One year I noticed,] the Polish kids had no equipment, but were provided it by the league. When the event was over, they were trying to sell $300 bats for $20 just so they could bring back some money to their families. It was very moving."

That is Tom Lyons.