FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: vegaforholyoke@gmail.com
The following is Holyoke City Councilor Aaron Vega’s firsthand account of his “Day on the Job” with the Holyoke Fire Department.
Late last year, I was lucky enough to fulfill a childhood dream, even if only for a day. I spent the day with the Holyoke Fire Department to better understand what our fire department does, how it works, and what a “day in the life” is like for the men and women of the HFD.
For that one day, I joined Company D at the Fire Department Headquarters on High Street and was soon in full gear alongside new recruits performing drills in an abandoned building next door. Captain Gubala instructed the new firefighters on what to do and what not to do, and explained to me how a fire moves and breathes, and how to fight it.
Of course, the most impressive part of the day was joining the Company on Truck 1 on a live call. This is where it all became very real. A call came in, and, without missing a beat, the firefighters were in the truck, heading into the unknown.
It was in these brief moments of uncertainty that I found the utmost respect for what these men and women do – they keep us safe, they are ready to run in when everyone is running out, and they do it all with humor, passion, and know-how.
When I was growing up in Holyoke in the 70s, firefighters were my heroes! Today, they continue to be men and women that I respect. I’m not writing this to put the men and women of the HFD on a pedestal — I do not think they would want that. But, I am here to say thank you to all firefighters, past, present and future, for doing what you do without the need for reward.
Lately, there is much talk about overtime in the department budget and there has been some rearranging of leadership, but I know through it all that the Holyoke Fire Department is working together toward the collective goal of keeping Holyoke residents safe. That is something many of us can learn from.
My day with the Holyoke Fire Department was educational and entertaining: from lunchtime conversation with the company, to going along on inspections, to walking into a mock fire wearing full gear and breathing apparatus (which really should be experienced by everyone).
And even though the live call I experienced was, thankfully, merely a lunch fire that was easily extinguished, I saw the readiness and talent of our department and know they will do everything they can to always keep us safe.
Aaron Vega
Holyoke City Councilor at Large
