We Will Never Forget Chief Smith

Early Sunday morning, Midway Fire Rescue lost former Assistant Fire Chief Rex Smith. Chief Smith was recovering from a recent heart transplant surgery approximately 10 days ago. Chief Smith retired due to chronic heart issues in August 2009. After receiving a new heart 10 days ago, unfortunately he was unable to recover from surgery.

Assistant Fire Chief Smith started with Midway Fire Rescue in 2000 after retiring from Huntington, West Virginia. He was hired as a Captain andserved as our first full time Training Officer. Rex did such an outstanding job developing our training program that he quickly promoted to Division Chief where he served until being promoted to Assistant Chief in 2003. Rex was an excellent instructor in both fire and EMS topics. He had a passion for teaching others and had a knack for making training fun enhanced by his infectious sense of humor. Everyone quickly came to understand that he took the importance of training to create safe and successful operations very serious. His impact on our department and the future leaders of this department and others was illustrated by him receiving the Officer of the Year in 2001 and the Meritorious Service Award in 2009.

Above all, he was a fair and caring individual. Those qualities served him well in life and as Assistant Chief.

Please join us in keeping his family in your thoughts and prayers.