For Otho Fire-Rescue Fire Chief Marty Smith, the answer was that he joined the Otho Fire Department then and he’s been serving his community continually since then.

The last 20 years of that, as chief.

During the Ball, he was recognized with an award for those 45 years from the Iowa Firefighters Association and a recognition certificate from the department as well.

Smith is 77.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Noah Nafe, of Dayton, tries out a virtual reality fire extinguisher training tool Saturday night during the 23rd annual Otho Fireman’s Ball at the Webster County Fairgrounds. Firefighter/EMT Pierce Benson, at right, keeps him from walking too far forward.

“You just have to keep doing stuff,” Smith said. “If you’re not moving then you’re dying. I just got a little slower. I’m old, I try to pace myself.”

Smith is still very much an active chief, he may not be going into burning buildings but he keeps busy with the loads of paperwork, regulation compliance and when on the scene of a call, directing the work.

“I still respond to about 75 percent of the calls we receive,” He said.

A lot has changed in the last 45 years.

“We were at a house fire,” He said. “Back then we didn’t have any of the SCBA, our coats were basically a rain coat with hip boots. We had on our street clothes under that. I went into that house through a window after it was knocked down at bit. As I stepped over the transom I discovered it was still on fire. It woke me up.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Guests at the 23rd annual Otho Fireman’s Ball at the Webster County Fairgrounds Saturday night look over auction items at the start of the evening.

“We used to ride to fires on the tail board of the truck,” he continued. “One of the guys made loops we could hold onto.”

He’s proud of the department.

“I’m very satisfied with the state of the our department,” he said. “We have a good group, some very active new members. I’m very happy.”

Noah Nafe, of Dayton, has been a member of the Otho department for 2 months. He’s also a member of the Dayton Fire Department.

“He’s very humble,” Nafe said of Smith. “He helps a lot.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Otho Fire Chief Marty Smith chats with former Otho Mayor Duane Ferguson Jr. Saturday night during the 23rd annual Otho Fireman’s Ball at the Webster County Fairgrounds. Otho Fire-Rescue Chief Marty Smith chats with former Otho Mayor Duane Ferguson Jr. Saturday night during the 23rd Annual Otho Fireman's Ball at the Webster County Fairgrounds.

Fellow Otho firefighter/EMT Pierce Benson has been working with Smith for about five years.

“I love how he takes control of a scene,” Benson said. “There’s no other guy I’d rather be at a fire scene with.”

Otho Assistant Fire Chief Dylan Hagen reflected on some of the things that Smith has been instrumental in.

“He’s put in a ton of time and effort into the fire service,” Hagen said. “He was integral to the new fire station, he put in hundreds of hours.”

So will Smith retire and call it a good long career?

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Auctioneer Donovan Adson, of Vincent, helps out Saturday night at the 23rd annual Otho Fireman’s Ball at the Webster County Fairgrounds.

“It’s going to be fairly soon,” he said. “Maybe next year.”

In addition to Smith, the following firefighters were recognized for their years of service: Travis Stanberg, 10 years; Dylan Hagen, 10 years; and Duane Ferguson, 15 years.