has quite an interesting story to tell. It was assigned to its wearer back in 1997. It watched as a young husband and father took a Firefighter I class and discovered that he had found his life's calling. Firefighting came naturally, and it wasn't three years before the wearer of this helmet had worked his way up the ranks to the position of Training Officer within his volunteer organization. Over the past eleven years this helmet has been to many calls and helped many people. Back in 2001 this helmet was packed inside a duffel bag and flown to New York City where it saw the horror of the World Trade Center attacks, and sifted through the rubble in the recovery effort. It was worn while they helped the members of Hell's Kitchen's Firehouse reassemble fire truck's and other firefighting apparatus. It has seen carnage on the freeway, including fatal car accidents, fires, and underpass failures. It's chinstrap was melted as its firefighter survived a basement flashover, but it kept on going and watched as they met that close call with more determination to train and learn. It has been there as its firefighter was led by the Spirit to pay attention, look around, and find a safer way out of a perilous situation. It has found itself attached to a firefighter as he crawled through numerous attics checking for fire, and once falling out of an attic as the trusses gave way and the ceiling collapsed. It was a close call, but his firefighter managed to stay safe and save his own life. It has recovered victims of house explosions, extrications, and even found itself participating in the rescue of two giant iguanas suffering from smoke inhalation. It has been tried on by various youth groups, church organizations, school children, and adults as they were taught fire safety in the firehouse and in surrounding schools and area churches. It has come to the aid of surrounding cities, assisting them in whatever capacity they needed. It has sought further training such as heavy rescue, haz mat, medical, and officer training. It has been pushed to its limits. It has been banged up, dented, and abused, much like its fireman. Through it all, this helmet has watched as its firefighter conducted himself with integrity and purpose. And now this helmet has been retired to a shelf in our garage, waiting for our city to conduct itself in the same manner. It may never see action again, but its firefighter is finding it elsewhere.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
This helmet..
has quite an interesting story to tell. It was assigned to its wearer back in 1997. It watched as a young husband and father took a Firefighter I class and discovered that he had found his life's calling. Firefighting came naturally, and it wasn't three years before the wearer of this helmet had worked his way up the ranks to the position of Training Officer within his volunteer organization. Over the past eleven years this helmet has been to many calls and helped many people. Back in 2001 this helmet was packed inside a duffel bag and flown to New York City where it saw the horror of the World Trade Center attacks, and sifted through the rubble in the recovery effort. It was worn while they helped the members of Hell's Kitchen's Firehouse reassemble fire truck's and other firefighting apparatus. It has seen carnage on the freeway, including fatal car accidents, fires, and underpass failures. It's chinstrap was melted as its firefighter survived a basement flashover, but it kept on going and watched as they met that close call with more determination to train and learn. It has been there as its firefighter was led by the Spirit to pay attention, look around, and find a safer way out of a perilous situation. It has found itself attached to a firefighter as he crawled through numerous attics checking for fire, and once falling out of an attic as the trusses gave way and the ceiling collapsed. It was a close call, but his firefighter managed to stay safe and save his own life. It has recovered victims of house explosions, extrications, and even found itself participating in the rescue of two giant iguanas suffering from smoke inhalation. It has been tried on by various youth groups, church organizations, school children, and adults as they were taught fire safety in the firehouse and in surrounding schools and area churches. It has come to the aid of surrounding cities, assisting them in whatever capacity they needed. It has sought further training such as heavy rescue, haz mat, medical, and officer training. It has been pushed to its limits. It has been banged up, dented, and abused, much like its fireman. Through it all, this helmet has watched as its firefighter conducted himself with integrity and purpose. And now this helmet has been retired to a shelf in our garage, waiting for our city to conduct itself in the same manner. It may never see action again, but its firefighter is finding it elsewhere.
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9 comments:
This is an awesome post! You are such a great writer and supportive wife. Hope all goes well, but please elaborate for the nosy. I am not up-to-date on my city contraversies.
Natalie, you really are a great writer. I love this article. By the way when you get a chance I'd love to tell you what a great councilwoman passed on to me regarding this matter.
I agree with Kellie we want the whole story.
Its not the helmet that makes the man but the man that makes the helmut! It's too bad that the powers that be in AF do not see the mistake that their making not only with Reed but with the other dedicated FF that are leaving. The worst thing is that the posers are going to run off all the rest of the best and it's the citizens in AF and those passing thru that will suffer. There's still respect for him in the city to the West.
That is a very nice tribute.
Love that this is from the helmuts point of view! You are so good. Maybe more than just your blog readers need to read it! Sooo... what's up?
Realizing that helmet is spelled "et", I still think it was a good post.
Nat, I love loved this post! I hate all the crap that is going on! Reed is such an amazing firefighter! I see the passion he has for his job in my husband often and hope he can become as great as Reed! I think I need lessons on how to be more supportive with this job though. You are amazing!
thanks for all your service reed
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