Assistant Fire Chief Croxall hugs his father, retired Fire Chief Ed Croxall, after leaving the fire station following his final shift. (Photo courtesy of Fire Chief Antony Cumo, East Liverpool Fire Department)

EAST LIVERPOOL — Assistant Fire Chief Eric Croxall, East Liverpool Fire Department, chose to end his firefighting career the same way he began it — in a humble and dignified manner.

Croxall, whose father Ed Croxall is a retired East Liverpool fire chief, began his firefighting career 35 years ago at the East Liverpool Fire Department and has decided to retire.

He opted for no fanfare as he walked out of the station with only his family, fellow firefighters and on-duty East Liverpool police officers after his final shift on Tuesday.

Fire Chief Antony Cumo said he really wanted to plan something for Croxall to celebrate him, but Croxall told him he wanted to end the day just like any other, he was just going to get in his truck and go home.

Cumo said Croxall told him on April 1 of his plans to retire and that he was really hoping that Croxall was playing an epic April Fool’s joke on him, but that was not the case.

Croxall started with the East Liverpool Fire Department on May 9, 1990, and his official last day will be May 9, making it exactly 35 years with the department.

Cumo noted that Croxall was the last retiree of everyone hired in his group.

“Eric (Croxall) is a great guy. He was a fearless firefighter and a great leader to his guys,” Cumo said. “He was a hard worker and never complained. He brought a sense of calm to every fire he was on.”

With Croxall’s retirement, staffing changes will take place at the department.

Lt. Aaron Jones is on the list to move up to assistant chief. Cumo noted as soon as everything is official, Jones will be promoted.

Jones’s promotion will leave a vacancy for the lieutenant’s position, for which the city’s civil service commission has approved an exam to take place this summer.

The need to fill the lieutenant position will create two entry level openings in the fire department. Cumo said he is not sure if they will do a lateral transfer and hire one new firefighter or hire two firefighters. The civil service commission will be administering an entry level exam later in the summer.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com