June 18, 2007 transformed the lives of many people in the Charleston area. In the course of an afternoon and evening life went from the joys of a summer June day to the horror of lost friends and colleagues. For this author that day changed the fire service forever.
All who wear, or who have worn, the badge of a Charleston firefighter understand the philosophy of pre-2007. You pulled up, went in and fought fire no matter how hot, how tough, or how dangerous the situation. It was part of being a firefighter in an old port city known for independence of thought and sense of history.
Having had the honor of wearing a uniform in Charleston it was never lost on me that the people who were worth something would always be beside you inside, no matter what. It was an attitude that prevaled for over a century.
Time, in its own peculiar way, straightens out those situations. Charleston was walking the razors edge with no room to spare. A slight slip would mean tragedy. Instead of a slip a major fall, a cascading series of events materialized that led to the deaths of nine brave souls.
It's clear now that tradition wasn't at fault. Tradition is keeping alive the best of what works and discarding the rest as a useless by product of days long past. It wasn't tradition or the culture of extinguishment that killed nine brothers. It was a failure of leadership and command, bundled together, throwing out hints of impending doom and then striking with vengeance.
For the life of me I can't forget the image of Billy Hutchinson smiling or Earl Drayton smirking. Mike Benke, sitting at the table in engine 3, waiting for our engineer to show up to relieve him. Louis Mulkey I still see on his first day, inside the dayroom/kitchen of engine 2, introducing himself. These are the men I knew better so it is only natural I remember them clearly.
We remember people by the effect they have on us. Each of the fallen impacted someones life, brought joy, gave life to a civilian who was bound for death. They were firefighters, each of them, ready to answer a call to service. They responded, one final time, to a building housing nothing of importance save one human life.
They went inside to put out a fire. In some other time, in some other way, I see them walking out, grimy faces, smiling, looking to take a breather from hard work. Patting each other on the back, making jokes and thinking only that they had just knocked down another fire. That's how I see them in my minds eye, forever as they appeared prior to entering that building, never aging, always living.
All of the families deserved more years with them. They sacrificed their loved ones not because they wanted to but because their loved ones served in a profession of sacrifice. I think of them and my heart weeps for their pain, suffering and moments lost. What gives me hope is an eternal reunion of some kind where they see those nine men who died as brothers, alive again, smiling, full of life.
Where does Charleston stand now? There are issues still unresolved that will play out in the courts. The fire department is moving forward though, step by step, never far removed from the night of June 18, 2007. A new chief, new deputy chief of operations and firefighters are standing guard over Charleston as these words are written. Each of them is prepared to go in harms way ever mindful of the costs.
Despite personality disagreements there is no one in Charleston who wants to see failure. From this author's perspective it is my sincere hope all members advance the department to where it should be, to have the leadership it never had despite having firefighters who would breach the wall of hell to get the job done. From the chief to the deputies, the assistant chiefs to the battalions, the Captains to the firefighters I wish nothing but the very best.
One day maybe we will all be rejoined in some place where youth, vitality and a common brotherhood link us all. Each of us, a proud bearer of the Charleston patch, washed in blood but raised again by men and women of iron.
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