If there is truth in the theory that people are born with a destiny of fulfilling specific roles in life, then retiring South King Fire and Rescue Chief Jim Polhamus must have been born with a "fancy" for red fire engines.

For 30 years, Polhamus answered "the fire bell" for Des Moines.

After attending fire drill and pumper truck operation classes and riding along to a North Hill garage fire, Polhamus said, "I was hooked."

As a 16-year-old Mt. Rainier High student, he joined Fire District 26's volunteer program. He qualified for firefighter in 1975 and moved on to Inspector and Fire Marshal.

When then-Chief Bob Arnold retired early, Polhamus was appointed the new fire chief.

(It's a remarkable feeling writing about a man retiring who attended elementary and high schools with my own son. Maybe if I use the term "early" often enough before the word "retirement," it will lend some comfort to aging symptoms.)

"I had two goals when I became chief," Polhamus explained.

"One, to put the department on solid financial ground, a slow eight-year process, and to be the last chief of District 26.

"Merger with another department was inevitable as early as 1996, due to limited financial support. Demand for fire services grew faster than economic growth in the area."

If there is one single significant career accomplishment for Polhamus, it is likely the recent merger of Fire District 26 and Federal Way Fire into one team, South King Fire and Rescue, resulting in financial, equipment and staff stability for Des Moines.

Interestingly, major structures in this city are non-profit and therefore non-revenue producing, so they don't provide financial support to the fire department.

Yet, their need for emergency services is high and these facilities are being expanded to accommodate even more people.

One of these organizations alone has 10 percent or more of the assessed property valuation of this whole city.

There is not enough rapid economic growth here to provide the funding it takes to run a modern fire department meeting today's needs.

Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler said, "I can't imagine the fire department with out Jim Polhamus. From the city's perspective, he is highly respected.

"The council listens when he addresses them in his usual straightforward approach and he has been very successful. Jim is an outstanding representative of his profession."

Firefighting and police high-risk stories draw considerable publicity. Yet, sometimes it's the small, unknown things people do that speak loudest to whom they are personally. After years of silence, here's my story.

With the brush of my arm waving to a friend from my lanai, I watched helplessly as my sentimentally prized broach went flying from my blouse into bushes on a steep cliff three stories down. Frustrated, with no ladder tall enough to reach the broach, I called Chief Polhamus and asked if we could borrow a tall ladder. He said sure.

Instead of just a ladder, a ladder fire truck with fire department recruits appeared. The bucket arm holding one veteran firefighter and one recruit was hoisted up to those bushes and, in a gesture forever etched in my memory, the veteran scooped up my broach in his gloved hand and handed it to me at my third story lanai.

In awe I stuttered, "Thank you."

That accomplished, the veterans staged an onsite multi-family high-rise rescue procedure training session for the recruits who were enrolled in academy training.

Everybody wins. Condominium residents learned the top floor can be reached in emergency. Recruits were trained. And my broach was returned.

Administrative manuals likely don't provide for cat rescue or senior broach-retrieval. I'm glad the manual of "human kindness" does.

Joining Jim in retirement is his wife, Vicky, who will complete her career Sept. 1 at Chinook Middle School. Son Jim Jr. will start at Highline Community College this fall.

After a trip to Yellowstone National Park, they plan to stay active in community affairs.

Retirement, my late husband Gordy said, is about coming from choice-your choice-not someone else's.

And as destiny may have predicted, Jim is the owner of a new "fire engine red" SUV, a retirement gift to himself.

The legacy of Jim Polhamus is a community safer and well served. Salute!