Bill Timmer was just a tot when he first got interested in the fire service after watching his neighbor, a Cincinnati Fire Department captain.

That fascination never faded and he joined the Highland Fire Department 28 years ago. Today he serves as chief of the department.

Timmer attended Ivy Tech when its fire science program was in its early stages. He went to work for Bethlehem Steel, which eliminated their fire department as he was finishing the program in fire service management. From there he went to work for the state fire marshal's office. Last December, he graduated from Governor's State University with a Master's Degree in Public Administration.

As chief, Timmer is the department's only full-time employee and he oversees a staff of about 40 part-time firefighters, among them teachers, maintenance engineers and full-time firefighters on other departments.

"Our staff brings a lot of unique talents," he said.

The job -- and firefighting itself -- has seen changes over the years, he said, due to rapidly changing technology and the role in fire departments in taking on more diverse duties.

"The fire department is basically a help agency," he said. "Back to the bucket brigades to the modern departments, that's what the fire service is about -- helping people."

That means responding to more than just fires.

In his area, severe flooding is an emergency they've had to respond to.

He said there are also challenges to the job that including managing staff, keeping up with changes in education and providing services to a town of 24,000 while being budget conscious.

And he said it's all about customer service.

"As a fire chief, we want our customers to be happy when we get there for a call," he said. "Efficiency and effectiveness are what make people happy."

Timmer and his wife have been married for 30 years and have two sons and two daughters. One son works on the Highland Fire Department with him.

The couple has five grandchildren and two St. Bernards. He has been involved with the Lake County Association for the Retarded and has served on their board. Timmer teaches at Purdue University as part of an Organizational Leadership Program for the specialty of Hazmat and Fire Systems.