Passing on history

Yesterday I was able to participate in a breakfast for our retirees. Our union decided to host this event for the guys that came before us. They all loved it and felt blessed to be invited to an event such as this. While visiting with these guys the stories started being told, the hijinks started showing and the history rolled out of the shadows.

One particular retiree visits our station frequently and knew I was going to be there. So he brought me a gift.

Interlude: There are many traditions in the fire service; such as the tradition of passing on the torch and tools of the trade. In our city we still have and use the old fashion snap couplings (we also use more modern stuff but alot of our inner city hydrants have these couplings) and they had a hose pick tool and this tool sometimes would be passed from one retiring or older member to a younger man.

Fast forward to the story:
This day I was able to particpate in both a new tradition (the retiree breakfast) and an old one recieving a hose pick from a retired member. This member reitred in 1982 and I was hired in 1997, so we both were a little past the traditional time frame (and hadn't met except in his visits to the station) but it was still an honor to have him think of me and bring me his old hose pick. So now it is as much a part of my uniform as my boots and belt.

If you have the chance to share a moment and a tradition such as this then you are very lucky. If you can give or recieve this type of history or an event like this please do so, show the younger folks what the brotherhood means and what tradition is.