Plain Township Fire Chief watches New Albany grow

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Waking up to an open-window breeze and a smoke-filled room, John Hoovler was confused and concerned. Realizing the source was across the street, he made his way over and confronted firefighters setting fire to a field for practice.

“I was kind of agitated,” says Hoovler. “But … the smoke dissipated and didn’t bother anything.”

After he had calmed down from the startling wake-up call, one of the young men suggested Hoovler should volunteer with the firefighters. Between working on his grandparents’ farm and in his father’s grocery store Hoovler’s Red & White, the young man wasn’t sure he had time, but didn’t care; he knew he had to join.

Soon enough, Hoovler became an official volunteer firefighter at his local Johnstown Fire Department in 1974.

Since then, he married his sweetheart, Kathleen, and the two have three children, eight grandchildren, and soon, two great-grandchildren. Forty years have passed, and Hoovler’s career in fire is still burning bright.

With hard work, he climbed his way up from volunteer firefighter, to paramedic in 1978, to Johnstown’s first full-time firefighter in 1987. He would go on to hold the titles of lieutenant, captain, assistant chief and chief. Today, Hoovler is chief of the Plain Township Fire Department (PTFD).

“New Albany is a great community to work in,” says Hoovler. “(The) area continues to grow. We get busier and busier every year.”

Hoovler says in 1994, there were exactly 54 fire hydrants. Now, there are more than 1,200. Last year, the crew made approximately 2,700 runs, including both fire and EMS. This year, after analyzing trends, the team predicts around 3,000 runs.

Though Hoovler won’t go on most of those runs, he still makes sure to accompany his team to large fires where families and citizens need moral support. He admits he misses the excitement of putting out fires and physically saving lives but, laughing, he claims the duties are jobs for the younger generation.

“I’m very committed to taking care of our citizens,” says Hoovler. “If (a citizen) has a fire, I generally go to the scene and try to help them, find out if they have a place to go or if they have any immediate needs. … That is my role now.”

Hoovler says he watches with pride as his officemates, firefighters, battalion chiefs and Assistant Chief Jack Rupp – who he refers to as co-chief and a quality, well-educated individual – work hard every day to help keep the station running smoothly.

“Basically, I’m the captain of the ship. I’m just trying to keep it moving it in the right direction,” says Hoovler. “I have subordinates that take care of just about everything, and they’re wonderful. I have a great staff.”

Over the past 20 years, the number of firefighters on shift has increased from four to 12. The gradual growth wasn’t overwhelming for Hoovler, though; he knew New Albany was growing, especially in average home size. With larger trucks featuring longer ladders, advanced thermal cameras to see through smoke and the recent addition of compressed air, a foamy fire retardant that creates practically no water damage, the PTFD is ready for anything.

Hoovler says though the methods of fighting fire have changed considerably since the 1970s, he still has a strong passion for his fire career. After the work day is done, Hoovler always goes back to his other passion: farming. 

“I can’t wait to get to work to see (the staff) for eight hours,” he says. “But then I can’t wait to get home and farm.”

Farming is in Hoovler’s blood. As a young boy and man, Hoovler was always tending to his grandparents’ land and animals. But when his grandparents passed, Hoovler entered a period of time without farming. That is, until a local man needed assistance. 

“New Albany is a great community to work in,” says Hoovler. “(The) area continues to grow. We get busier and busier every year.”

When Hoovler was still working at Johnstown’s fire department, an EMS call came in for local farmer Jim Morrison. Hurrying through the country roads, the team entered the house and saw the older man heaving on the couch, and Hoovler knew Morrison was going into cardiac arrest.

“I said, ‘Jim, we need to take you to the hospital,’” says Hoovler. “And he said, ‘I can’t go. I don’t have anybody to take care of my cows.’”

Hoovler knew a solution, and sent Morrison off to the hospital. Morrison survived that day thanks to Hoovler, and from there, a relationship was born. The farm has since been passed down through the Morrison family, but even so, Hoovler is still out on the Morrison farm working into most evenings.

Hoovler says he’s living the dream now – loving his family, working in the growing community of New Albany as fire chief and hanging out on the farm with his tractor and cattle. 

“I have the best of both worlds,” says Hoovler. “New Albany is very supportive … and the staff does a great job here. They make me look good.”

Fit Five, with Lydia Freudenberg

Are there any foods you avoid?

I eat very limited carbohydrates and stay away from alcohol. I am diabetic and carbs elevate my blood sugar almost immediately. Avoiding alcohol is a two-part decision: one, for my diabetes, and two, a personal choice out of respect for my position as fire chief. 

What are your favorite ways to stay active?

Working at the farm. The farm is not a giant farm; it is only a couple hundred acres, and we raise beef cattle and bale enough hay to raise the cows. We also grow corn. We do hire extra help with young backs to bale hay, though.

What do you do to relax?

I like being at the farm, mostly. I like building things, too; I do a little bit of woodworking. One of my children has recently bought a house, and I’ve been building the kitchen cabinets for her. Over the years, I’ve also built a couple houses I’ve lived in, and only contracted a few projects.

What are some healthful meals you and the fire department cook?

We have a new kitchen now and we’ve had dietitians come in and help us out. We usually make high-protein, low-carb meals. We enjoy cooking steaks on the grill and creating steak salad. 

With the colder season approaching, how do you adjust your lifestyle to maintain your health and activity levels?

We still have to take care of fires. We put on a heavy jacket and gloves and go. With the farm, during the winter, we still have to feed and check on the cows every day, no matter what the weather.

Lydia Freudenberg is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at adeperro@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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