Firehouse Reds

When we moved to New Paltz, I immediately decided to join the volunteer fire department. Back in my Manhattan days, I was an auxiliary cop for 5 years, but that was different. There are zillions of auxies in Manhattan, but there are fewer than 50 fire fighters here. I never figured out exactly why I joined the police force back then, but it certainly makes sense why I joined the NPFD. I've got free time, and I've got three kids. What if it's my house that's on fire one day? And really, what boy doesn't want to be a fireman when he grows up?

In fact, when I was three, my mom read me a Dr Seuss book about growing up that mentioned many jobs. I told her I wanted to be a policeman, a fireman, a doctor, an acrobat, ... finally I announced that I wanted to be an 'everything man.' Well, unicycling is close to acrobatics, and I've been an aux cop. I've tended many booboos, upset tummies, and some croupy throats, earning my daddy degree in doctoring. Firefighter was pretty much all that was left off my resume.

I met pretty much everyone at the fire department yesterday. The guys (and gal -- there is one woman on the force: you go, girl!) are great. The group gets together the first Monday of the month to discuss important issues like fundraisers, equipment, parades, and pizza. I was excited to be shown around the four trucks at the station house (there are more at the other station house, on North Putt Ave). I had the feeling that I'd wake up and be six years old again.

The expectation is that volunteers will show up for 100 to 150 calls a year, or about two or three a week. Since there are almost 900 calls a year, there is plenty to go around. Sure enough, while watching TV at 1:25am, my new pager went off for the first time. I felt the buzz and heard the dispacher announce that a fire alarm had gone off at a SUNY dorm. I rushed into some socks and shoes, threw on my coat, and drove to the station house. It turns out that SUNY fire alarms go off all the time for no good reason, and we never had to leave the building. I sat around chatting with two other volunteers before returning home just after 2 am. It was pretty uneventful, as are many calls, and I was glad that I got it out of the way. Emmett was happy this morning to hear that his dad is officially a fireman, but he does want me to keep my day job.