Jimmy Johnson Retires After 39 Years in Fire Department

Jimmy Johnson, who people called JJ recently, but they called Snake back in the day, retired as Danbury's Fire Marshal with a flag lowering ceremony at Fire Department Headquarters.
Johnson joined the department with 12 other firefighters on Nov. 19, 1973, and they included former Fire Marshal Barry Rickart and former Chief Bob Keenan, both retired.
"I'd considered sticking in the navy, but I joined the volunteers when I got out. I saw an advertisement for the career department and took the test," Johnson said. "The rest is history."
Thirty-nine years, and two months shy of the 40th.
Johnson admits he was called "Snake," a long time ago, because he was a practical joker.
"I learned the hard way when you're a practical joker you don't have a partner," Johnson said. "There's no one to give you away."
Johnson said one day he pulled the hubcaps off a firefighter's car and filled them with stones before putting them back on. The next day the firefighter came in with a horrible car accident story.
'"My daughter and wife had to be pulled out of the wreck,"' Johnson recalls the man saying. He had to fess up. "My conscience got the better of me. I told him, and he said, "Gotcha."
There had been no accident.
Assistant Fire Chief Steven Williams said the guys learned to be careful about what Johnson was saying. "He was like the Teflon Don. He wouldn't necessarily pull the prank, but he'd feed you enough info to get you going down the wrong road. Then when it happened, he'd be like, "Wa? I don't know what you're talking about."
Williams said years ago the guys were always asking Johnson to go out for drinks after work, but he'd always say, "I can't. The Ogre won't let me."
One day after a meeting, a group of firefighters saw Johnson drive by, heading for home, so they jumped in a car and followed him.
"The garage door was closing and the light to the garage was clicking off as we knocked on his door. We had like five or six guys, and Jimmy and Sue were too polite not to invite us in. Sue was putting stuffed breads in the oven, she was putting out food, so it was getting to be 11, and I said to Jimmy, "Gee, JJ, I don't know what you're always talking about. She doesn't seem like an Ogre."
Deputy Chief TJ Wiedl said Johnson taught him how to be a leader, and he'd tell young firefighters, "I'll show you what to do. Do that."
Wiedl said if he was in a fire situation, he'd ask himself, "What would Jimmy do?" and that would help him out.