ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It’s a bittersweet day for folks in the Rochester Fire Department. They’re saying goodbye to a man who has spent over three decades keeping the people of this city safe.

Jim Buonaugurio, or “Bones” as his comrades call him, is retiring after 37 years with the Rochester Fire Department. He got to use the hose one last time on Thursday morning at a garage fire before clocking out for good at 8 a.m.

“Everybody let me know. Yeah. You hear the giggling behind you? They let me know,” Bones said when asked why he decided to retire now.

Bones has worked at the Goodman Street station his whole career. He remembers many fires and calls, but above all, he remembers the connections he’s made. Many of those connections showed up to his sendoff Wednesday.

“I was overwhelmed today, to be honest with you. I knew we were going to have a bunch of people for lunch, but seeing all the guys, especially the retired guys, a couple of guys I haven’t seen in years. So it was something special and I got to thank my buddy David for that,” Bones said.

Bones worked for many years under David Obi’s father before taking him under his wing when Obi himself began his career. For David, it’s tough seeing his mentor leave. “He’s all I’ve known ever since I grew up in the firehouse. He was there. And, you know, today is a difficult one for me,” Obi said.

Although Bones is retiring, the Buonaugurio name will live on in the Rochester Fire Department. Bones’ son James joined the RFD last summer, sworn in by his father.

“I’ve got a lot of wisdom with the amount of time he’s got on the job. I think the biggest thing that it all kind of circles back to is pride. Having pride in the job and it encompasses a lot of different things,” James said.

So after nearly four decades on the job, Bones’ advice to his son and other recruits is, “Try to keep your mouth closed and your ears open. Keep busy. Try to gravitate to the people on the job that have ten, 15, 20 years on the job that work in busy houses, listen to them, ask questions, and just stay busy and keep learning.”

It may be his final shift, but Bones says he will always find his way back to the place and people he calls home. When asked about his plans for retirement, Bones said his wife is retiring soon, so he plans on hanging out with her along with his two grandkids, with one on the way.

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