One of Madison's most dedicated public servants is hanging up his gear after saving lives for more than four decades.

On Saturday evening, Lieutenant Richard Graebel will officially retire after more than 40 years of service.
He leaves behind admiring co–workers and takes with him memories of helping the people of Madison.
Some memories are stranger than others. Lieutenant Richard Graebel of the Madison Fire Department says one of their sillier memories had to do with a guy getting his head caught in a bar rail." After all years, Graebel says he'd do it all over again.

He also talked about new technologies, like radio–equipped trucks, and breathing devices that make firefighting better than ever. Graebel is the second longest serving firefighter in Madison's history.