After 52 years of service, Winkler's longest serving firefighter is retiring.

Captain Ike Dyck has been with the department for nearly half of the 111-year history of the Winkler Fire Department.

He says it was the devastation of a local fire that inspired him to join, "I thought I could be a help to them, so I applied... from there on in it was training on the job."

The camaraderie he found kept him there for half a century, "the feeling of family, helping a group of fellows that were committed to helping the community. And it's still the same today."

Captain Ike Dyck presenting his wife Agatha with a rose at the Winkler Fire Department two years ago as a gesture of thanks for 50 years of being married to a firefighter. Throughout the years, Dyck says family members often make sacrifices, one fateful Christmas fire kept Dyck away from family all day.

However, Dyck says there's no comparison to fighting fires in the 1960's to the present. When he began it was common for firefighters to chip wells open in winter to access water, now the department employs high-end technology and makes use of a comprehensive hydrant system in the city.

He also recalls riding on the back running board of the firetruck, "something that's not practiced anymore," he says.

Now that he is hanging his hat, Dyck says it's like saying goodbye to your brothers. However, he may still be found at the fire hall for coffee.

"We know that they care, and knowing I can still come back and join them any time is what really counts."

Long-time firefighter Ike Dyck receiving an award for 52 years of service last year