ONCE A FIREFIGHTER, ALWAYS A FIREFIGHTER

This is a repost of one of my Blogs to my Father last Fathers' Day.

"Once a Fire Fighter, Always a Fire Fighter"....

.. ..As a child, my dream was to one day become a firefighter like my Father. When I was four years old, I realized how much that dream meant to me… not because of the sirens or flashing lights, or having the ability to squirt water through a hose on a flaming inferno. I wanted to become a firefighter because I wanted to be able to hang on the back step of the fire engine as it raced down the street. Back in those days, before all the NFPA and OSHA regulations prohibiting such actions, at least one firefighter rode on the back step to enable a quick dropping of the larger diameter hose at a hydrant to supply the pump with water. I wanted to do that, just like my Dad.....

.. ..On one particular morning, I waited at the kitchen window by the breakfast table waiting for my Dad to arrive home from work. When he arrived, he stepped from his car and trudged to the door and entered the kitchen to be greeted by my Mother. Dad grunted a "Hello" to me as he sat down at the table being served his morning cup of coffee before rushing to his "B" job, necessary to make ends meet for the family. I anxiously waited to make a Big Announcement to the family.....

.. .."I know what I want to be when I grow up," I proudly announced.....

.. ..My Father grunted, "Now what?" somewhat grumpily. It seemed that he had spent the vast majority of the night at some sort of emergency and was very tired. When he was tired he was usually crabby.....

.. .."I want to be a firefighter just like you."....

.. ..Instead of encouraging me that morning, or at least humoring me, he totally burst my bubble and exploded saying, "No son of mine will ever be a firefighter!" He continued to explain through his tirade, "…the job is unappreciated, …you're underpaid, …it's dangerous work with shoddy equipment…" and he continued on and on. My Mother stood behind him with a somewhat angry look on her face, but then looked in my direction with a look of sympathy and caring. I turned around and again looked out the window because I didn't want HIM to see me cry.....

.. ..As I rested my chin on my hands on the windowsill I watched the traffic go down the street. Then I saw it. It slowly rolled down the street and caught my full attention. As it stopped at our driveway I turned and made my next startling revelation to the family.....

.. .."Now I know what I want to be when I grow up," I proudly announced again, as defiant as a four-year old could be.....

.. ..My Mother then asked me "What, honey?" as Dad took another sip of his coffee, now looking in my direction.....

"I want to be a Garbage Man!" … not so much because he got to collect all of the neighborhood treasures left on the treelawns, but because HE got to hang on to the back end of the garbage truck.....

.. ..Coffee almost came out of my Father's nose as Mom smacked him on the back of the head with the kitchen towel that was previously draped over her shoulder. Mom let him have it for not encouraging me when he had the chance, and NOW my life's ambition had now turned to be, in today's terminology, a Sanitation Engineer.....

.. ..Well, my life's ambition took many changes as I grew up, but the one that really comes to mind today was when I started my first job after high school. The summer before going off to college I worked for the Lorain County Metro Parks. As a first-year laborer, my primary job, especially on Monday mornings after a busy picnic-filled weekend, was to clean the parks, and that included collecting garbage. When I returned home from work that first day, I was filthy, smelly, and tired. Dad looked at me with a smile, and with a somewhat sarcastic tone asked me, "Well, how was your first day of work?"....

.. .."It was great," I replied. "My life's ambition finally came true. I was able to do the job I've always wanted to do."....

.. ..Somewhat surprised, Dad asked, "What did you do?"....

...."I got to collect garbage!"....

.. ..He looked at me with a questioning look as both Mom and I laughed. It seemed liked she remembered that morning some 14 years earlier when I made my second life-ambition choice of that morning. Dad looked at both of us, puzzled, but not questioning of what was so funny. The topic was dropped. It wasn't until later on that evening as we settled in, me lying on the floor watching television, my sisters upstairs in their room, Mom in the kitchen, and Dad in his easy chair reading the paper, that he finally figured it out. He probably thought about it all evening before he looked at me with a smile and asked, "Well, did you at least get to ride on the back of the truck?"....

.. ..I smiled back and answered, "Yeah!"....

.. ..

It wasn't until a few years later when my ultimate career choice was achieved. After receiving my letter from the City of Elyria regarding my results from the Civil Service Exam and after being interviewed by the Chief and Safety-Service Director and then being offered the job did I make the announcement to the family. I'm still not totally sure if my Dad knew that I even took the entrance exam as a firefighter candidate.....

.. .."I'm taking a new job… one that I always wanted to do when I grew up."....

.. .."Now what are you going to do?" my Father asked.....

.. .."I'm going to be a firefighter for the City of ....Elyria....." ....

.. ..He looked at me and asked, "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"....

.. .."Yes," I answered with the same dedication and determination in my voice as I've heard him speak. "I've wanted to do this my entire life. I want to be just like you."....

.. ..The only thing he said, as he raised the newspaper back in front of his face was "OK," but just as his face disappeared behind the newsprint I'm sure I saw him smile… a smile of pride… a smile of hope… a smile of his approval.....

.. ..

I worked with my Dad on several occasions during the next five years leading to his retirement. I worked under his command on his shift a couple of times. He was a tough, but fair company officer. I worked a number of multiple alarm fires with him, one time in particular on the same hoseline, advancing toward the seat of a major fire in a downtown commercial structure on ....Broad Street...., …me on the nozzle, Dad backing me up on the line. ....

.. .."Keep down!" he ordered as we crawled our way toward the back of the building. "Hit the ceiling. Hit the ceiling," he shouted as the fire rolled overhead in the dense smoke. I turned the nozzle toward the ceiling, water forcing the fire back. We held our ground as other firefighters also worked at various angles and locations. During the time we fought the fire together, I felt his presence with me through the smoke, the heat, and the terror. It was like his hand of encouragement was on my shoulder, urging me on. I feel his hand on my shoulder even today, in many things I do, encouraging me on.....

Dad and I also worked on several fire investigations together. These were the times I cherished then, and now. ....

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I never stopped learning from my Dad, even years after his retirement. I loved to hear the stories of the "old days"… of the times around the fire station with the guys, the horsing around, the camaraderie, and the unspoken love they had for each other as Brothers. The fires, the rescues, the training drills, and even the "bitch" sessions they had… I held on to every word he spoke. Likewise, he listened to my stories, of my experiences, how the times had changed since his earlier days, and yet how things still remained the same over the years. ....

.. ..

Just days before his death, we talked at length about our fire service careers. He told some of his stories… those that I've heard time and time again, but never grew tired of hearing. He told them with the same enthusiasm and with the same level of excitement in his voice as he did the first time that I heard it. And that sparkle was still there in his eyes as he spoke. During that particular evening in room 602 at ....Elyria.. ..Memorial.. ..Hospital...., as he spoke, he paused in mid-sentence and sat up in bed and looked out the window as Engine Co. 2 sped past with lights flashing and siren blaring toward the downtown area. I saw a little grin on his face as he watched until the truck was out of sight, then he settled back in his bed and continued talking just where he left off.....

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"Once a Firefighter, always a Firefighter." Those were words told to me by my Father some 29 years ago at the start of my career with Elyria Fire Department. Though retired for nearly 20 years, he still kept his ear to the scanner, keeping track of all the goings-on of the Department. He was with the guys on every call they responded. He surprised me at knowing what was going on at some of the calls even during the late night/early morning hours. He loved to hear the stories of current day calls and likewise to reminisce of those in his past career.....

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"Once a Firefighter, always a Firefighter." Dad always spoke of being there in heart whenever he heard me responding on a call. Now, he is not only there in heart, but he's now also there in spirit. ....

....When times are tough, I know that Dad will be there to see me through. When the engines race across the city, lights flashing and sirens blaring, I know that Dad will be there. On those quiet nights, when I'm lost in my own thoughts, I know that Dad will be there. Just like before, when we enjoyed our times of sharing stories, I know that Dad will be there to hear me still tell mine, and during those pauses in thought, I'll still hear him tell me those of his own. ....

I miss Dad deeply. There will forever be a void that will never be filled in my life, but he'll still be here… in the true spirit that made him such a wonderful man… community servant… firefighter and fire officer… husband… grandfather… father… and for me, a loving, trusting friend who gave so much of himself to others… especially to me. ....

I love you, Dad. Happy Father's Day!....

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