Retired Battalion Chief Bill Parks

Bill Parks was hired in the summer of 1961 and his first assignment was ladder 13. Bill likes to tell the story of Chief Kelly refusing to hire him because he was in the National

Guard. Bill also was hoping to get hired because of the age limit. If he did not get hired on the first go around he would be 31 before the next hiring. He went to his Commander and told him his problem and they discharged him in order that he could come on the fire department. In time the Commander re-enlisted Bill in order that he could keep his E-8 slot as a Senior Master Sergeant. He retired with 22 years in the Guard.


Bill made Engineer in 1968 , Lt. in 1978 and Capt. In 1979. As Captain he was assigned to Station 19. The story goes that Bill called a “fish fry” to talk to his privates and officers. During the meeting Bill made the statement that he was like God...he believed in helping those that helped themselves. Joe Smith kept minutes of the meeting and he wrote down….The Captain is not God. The Captain is like God.

When the mechanical licensing law came in to effect for heating and air conditioning his license number was M-3. He does not know who was number 1 or 2 but his oldest son, Jack was M-7 and Nancy Katheryn was M-11. Bill is a state certified contractor and can work anywhere in the state.

Bill still owns Arlington Air Conditioning and Heating Inc. His first year in business he grossed $10,000 and the next year he grossed $100,000.00 not a bad increase.

Bill and his family enjoy traveling to their condo in the Smokies. We are glad to say that after his back surgery, he is well on the mend.

	Bill and Nancy Parks in front of their home. They were married on June 19, 1953 and have been married for 57 years.
	Bill and Nancy looking at pictures of their 5 children( 4 boys and 1girl,) 19 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
	Bill has been a busy man... he was in the National Guard when he got called to be hired on the JFD. He was also a Lt. in the Navy Fuel Depot FD and the Chief of the Air National Guard FD. He is a licensed Heating and Air Conditioner Contractor and Retired as a Battalion Chief in 1992.