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Honoring One Man's Life

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By B.C. MANION

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

LUTZ - When Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Station No. 24 is dedicated in honor of Leslie "Pete" Dennison on Monday, it will be a well-deserved accolade that would have touched Dennison, his admirers say.

But it's not something he would have expected, they add. He did not want attention for doing the things he simply thought he should do.

Dennison, who died Jan. 4 at age 78, was the kind of guy who went about the business of doing right by his family, his friends, his faith and his community, say those who knew him.

He will be singled out, however, by the Hillsborough County Commission for his service to the community's volunteer fire department during a 9 a.m. ceremony in the station at 129 Lutz-Lake Fern Road..

Dennison, who managed citrus groves for a living, was widely known throughout Lutz for his public service, said Beth Nevel, a former fire chief at the volunteer station.

Along the way, he helped lots of firefighters - including herself - to hone their skills, said Nevel, who later became the first female fire chief in Washington Township, Ohio.

Dennison had a way of finding the good in everything, Nevel said.

After her brother's girlfriend died in a car accident, her dad spearheaded ambulance services for Land O'Lakes, said Pam Smith, Dennison's daughter.

He Rose Through The Ranks

And, after the family's home caught on fire, he joined the Lutz Volunteer Fire Association, she said.

"I guess you don't know how much something is needed until it happens to you," Smith said.

Through the years, Dennison rose in the department's ranks from firefighter to assistant chief to chief. He also served on its board, as a member, treasurer, vice president and president.

When he stepped down due to failing health, he had devoted 27 years to the department.

It was a devotion his family understood.

"For him, that place was everything. He was as much at home there as he was at home," said his granddaughter, Emily Smith. "To the men there, he was 'Uncle Pete.'"

Dennison was a natural leader, Nevel said.

After fire calls, he would chat with firefighters to see how things went - always looking for ways to improve performance, she said.

If someone did something particularly well, he would praise them: "He'd say, 'I knew you could do it.'"

If they had done something he thought they could have done better, he wouldn't admonish - he would simply say he might have tried a different approach.

"It was very much coaching and mentoring," Nevel said. "I don't remember him ever losing his cool."

When someone had a problem or wanted guidance, they could turn to him, she said.

After finishing a call, "you could lean back on the truck and talk to him. You'd probably be eating an orange with him," Nevel said.

Station Progress Recalled

During Dennison's tenure, Lutz achieved many firsts among the county's fire stations.

It was the first to buy the Jaws of Life, a tool to extract people trapped in cars. Lutz also set a new standard - using a computer to track calls.

Volunteers logged in data from calls, such as the time of the call, the amount of water used, the volunteers who responded and damage estimates. The department analyzed the data to find ways to do better work, Dennison said in a 2002 interview with The Tampa Tribune.

During the same interview, Dennison recounted lean times - recalling that his first chief's report showed $1,900 in memberships - less than they spent on gas for the fire trucks.

The Lutz station was a training ground for many volunteers who went on to work for Tampa and Hillsborough County fire departments, said Mike Dennison, one of Pete's sons.

Dennison encouraged firefighters to pursue additional training and certifications - even when he knew they would likely be leaving the Lutz station within a year or two, Nevel said.

"He always looked for the best in every single person," Nevel said.

He had a magnetic personality, drawing people toward him wherever he went, Emily Smith said.

He had a great sense of humor, a fondness for good food and a generous nature, she said. If someone needed groceries or gas, they knew they could go to him.

"My dad would help anybody," Mike Dennison agreed. "Even if you were mean to him, he would still help you. That's the way he was."

Howard Dennison recalls pitching in with his dad to grill chicken for Lutz's annual Fourth of July celebrations.

Dennison built the giant barbecue grill, and he and his wife mixed up the special sauce using an old family recipe.

Working the grill was hot and hectic, Howard Dennison recalled. But there were always lots of helpers.

The elder Dennison had a way of getting people involved, especially young people, family members said.

Dennison's widow, Mildred, says she's delighted to see his contributions honored.

"I'm looking forward to this ceremony," she said. "He was a good guy. He just always tried to do the right thing."

If You Go

What: Hillsborough County Fire Station No. 24 Dedication Ceremony

Where: 129 Lutz-Lake Fern Road
When: 9 a.m. Monday

Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion@tampatrib.com.

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