SAN DIEGO — Steve Vandewalle is a helicopter rescue medic who has been with the San Diego Fire's Air Operation Division since the program's creation. He walked away Friday from 37 years of service.
"It was such a good fit for me, I never wanted to move from it," said Vandewalle.
Vandewalle was a rescue medic with the Air Operations division for 20 years. Since the beginning of the program, when the station was just a couple of trailers and a deck he built by hand.
"We weren't even sure it was going to, pardon my pun, get off the ground," said Vandewalle.
In the past 20 years, it's become a vital resource to the San Diego community.
"It's in a really, really good spot now, it's in it's golden age now. We have some awesome crew chiefs and rescue medics coming in, so that makes me feel good, to leave a program in better condition than when I got here," said Vandewalle.
He's stayed a rescue medic since joining the Air Operation Division, never wanting to leave his position because he just loves helping people.
"Four hundred and five, I've kept track of everyone of them, cause they're all exciting," said Vandewalle.
He told CBS 8 he looks at each rescue as an opportunity to complete what people think is the impossible.
"I always like the term, to bring medicine to bad places and this the very best tool to do that," said Vandewalle.
But, the job takes a toll on your body. With his goal to respond to 400 calls achieved and his 405th call just a couple of weeks ago, Steve decided it was in his best interest to hang up his helmet.
"Every single part of this helicopter has a time to it, you have to replace it before it goes bad and that's what keeps the helicopter program safe. that goes for personnel also, when its your time you, have to admit it's your time to tap out and give the younger people a try," said Vandewalle.
Marc Caron is a crew chief for the Air Operations Division and has been working with Steve for the past seven years. Caron said in the time they've worked together, it's been impossible to not learn from Steve and all his experience.
"Steve has a lot of worldly knowledge, so he knows a lot of things about a lot of things. so he can share those things throughout his career and in the past seven years I've seen that a lot," said Caron.
Steve said he is going to miss his coworkers.
"I've worked with just great people here in the fire department, serving the best public there is, anywhere in the country," said Vandewalle.
He's looking forward to some time with family.
"Spending time with my wife, kids and my new grandchild, maybe some hiking," said Vandewalle.
And some time away from sirens.
"I'm kind of done with sirens," said Vandewalle.
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