PLAINFIELD, Conn. -- After dedicating his time to the Plainfield Fire Department for more than six decades, Horace LeClair is retiring with an honorary life membership to the department.

LeClair said he signed up to be a volunteer with the department when he was 18 years old and continued in his role until he was in his mid-80s.

"In those days a fire siren, a firetruck went by, and you were a young man, and you got all excited to see the firetrucks," LeClair said. "They used to let me get in the firetruck and turn the sirens. They used to have sirens that turned by hand. They used to let me get in there and turn, and I would get all excited, and then I said, 'Well, I want to join.'"

LeClair said he also joined out of a desire to help his community and its residents.

"I always wanted to serve … wanted to do something for my town. They always gave me everything, and I always lived here all my life," he said.

When he wasn't devoting his time to the fire department, LeClair worked at the same company -- Interroyal Furniture -- for 44 years. The company burned down in a fire on April 26, 2005, and LeClair said he watched the fire as he directed traffic while working as a volunteer fireman.

LeClair, now in his mid-80s, retired last month after devoting nearly 63 years without pay to the fire department. When he retired, he was given an honorary life membership to the department.

"I'll always be a member of the volunteer fire department. There's four or five that volunteer that are life members now," LeClair said.

Plainfield Fire Chief Daniel Hutchinson said the life membership means LeClair will always be part of the department.

"You're still a member of the service, but you're not an active members, so we still consider him a brother of the fire department," Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said the department is looking for more volunteers to try to fill LeClair's oversized shoes.

"It's not cut out for everybody. We're always open to try and take people. We always need volunteers , and it's open if someone wants to help serve the community," he said.

Hutchinson said it is not just Plainfield that is in need of volunteers and that fire departments across the state are generally quick to welcome new recruits.

"It's something you want to do for the people," LeClair said. "That's the most important part -- to help the people."

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