Smile

What makes Chris Gellinger smile? “I’m happy to be retired and happy to spend more time with my family,” said the 61-year-old and now retired Noblesville Fire Department Deputy Chief. He was found earlier this year at his retirement party at Station No. 71, where this Saturday the NFD Auxiliary invites the community to the annual all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, including sausage and coffee, from 7:30-11 a.m. Tickets are $5 donation, ages 6 and younger free, cash preferred. Gellinger began his lifelong career fighting fires with Cicero Fire Department, where he served six years. During his 37 years at NFD, he moved up the ranks to lieutenant for four years, battalion chief for 23 years, and finishing his career as deputy fire chief for the past six years. Gellinger is known for having “one of the most famous mustaches in all of Noblesville.” Gellinger joined NFD on Jan. 16, 1986, when NFD had two fire stations and four fire trucks to serve about 13,00 residents. Gellinger is a graduate of the National Fire Academy and served as a member of NFD’s Tactical Rescue Team, Hazmat Team, and the Truck Committee. He was the 2012 recipient of the Noblesville FIre Department Leadership Award. In retirement, Gellinger said he plans to spend more time with wife, Karen, and hopes to travel. They have four grown kids, Andrea Gellinger, Eric Gellinger, Blake Gellinger and Madison Aitken, who all graduated from Noblesville High School, and two grandkids. “I don’t know if being a battalion chief made me a better dad or having four kids made me a better battalion chief,” he said. For more about this Saturday’s NFD pancake breakfast, see the Betsy Reason column in today’s edition of The Times.