Norm Davis for City Council

Retired Fire Chief Norm Davis is running for City Council.

Norm Davis will run for W-B City Council
WILKES-BARRE – Retired city firefighter Norm Davis has announced his candidacy for City Council in District A as a Democrat.

Davis retired from the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department after 36 years of service as an assistant fire chief. A graduate of GAR High School and the paralegal program at Penn State University, he attended fire science classes at Luzerne County Community College. Davis also served in the UAA.S. Marine Corps before his appointment to the city fire department.

Davis is married to the former Barbara Fritzges and they have two sons, Edmund and Jason, and four grandchildren.

Davis said he feels that service is the answer to keeping the city strong. He said strong municipal services will attract people to live in the city. He said police, fire public works and code enforcement services are expected and must be provided.

“Residents must feel safe and secure,” Davis said. “I feel the downtown is very important to our city, however our neighborhoods are the heart and that’s where we need to concentrate.”

Davis said he has seen a lot of for sale signs in front of city properties and he said that needs to change.

“We have to treat our neighborhoods better,” Davis said. “Let’s begin with the residents.”

I have known Norm for many years and can say, He is someone who is a LEADER. Someone who will stand up for what is right. He is an intelligent, thoughtful man who leads by example.
Hmmm, it's been a long time since this city has had a true leader.
Good luck Norm, anything I can do to help let me know.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Chief Norm Davis retired saturday

City firefighter calls it quits after 36 years

By Bob Kalinowski (staff writer)Published: February 13, 2011

WILKES-BARRE - Dedicated to the city fire department the past 36 years, Norm Davis didn't have a lot of time for hobbies.

That's about to change. One of five assistant fire chiefs in the city, Davis retired Saturday.

At the encouragement of his 5-year-old grandson, Davis plans to take up a new hobby: fishing.

"He wanted to learn, so I said, 'I'll go with you,'" Davis, 63, said Friday at his South Wilkes-Barre home.

While he looks forward to spending more time with his four grandchildren, Davis admits it's emotional to look back at his long career. He fought back tears Friday at his house when recounting his last day on duty last week. Fellow firefighters gave him a send-off with a big sheet cake.

"It's a tough thing to do after 36 years," Davis said. "I was a little shook up."

While he won't be fighting fires any longer, Davis said firefighting will always be in his blood.

"There were more good times than bad. There's a brotherhood," Davis said.

Davis still has a police/fire scanner working in nearly every room of his Kirkendall Avenue house.

Davis's wife, Barbara, noted he'll certainly miss the camaraderie of the fire house.

"He was happier there, than home. I'm not kidding," she joked. "The guys he worked with were good to him."

As he retires, Davis said he'll remember many of the major fires, including some fatal ones, in which he was the officer in charge.

"I've been in some scary spots - never been too heroic, never got in a position where someone had to drag my rear end out," he said.

Davis remembers a time when he led 25 firefighters on a shift. Now, that number is usually around 14. Despite the loss of manpower, he's confident in the continued success of the department, which includes his son, Ed.

"We have a great fire department. We have a good cadre of young people who are going to be the faces of the future," Davis said.



Norm was my first captain, back about....... a lot of years ago. He is the best. Period. His retirement is a huge loss to the department. He is cut from a cloth that people rarely see anymore.
Over the years I've seen Norm as many things, as a fire fighter, as my captain, as a chief, as a Marine (I don't hold that against him), and as someone to emulate. But mainly I know him as my Friend.
Happy Retirement Norm.

Dan Emplit WBFD