Disgusting... absolutely disgusting....

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire...

and a total of myself and9 people actually posted on the two threads on this forum about the W6.

To Captain Old Timer, firefightin'Irish, ChiefKN ,pasobuff, Len1952, Weruj, Rescue101, Trkco 1 and Leeland... Thank you for remembering out fallen brothers...

[DeputyMarshal]

With respect, why is that "disgusting"? Ten people chose to post on this forum about the Worcester 6 yesterday. That doesn't mean that only ten people remembered them nor that they only remember them on anniversaries.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

What is disgusting is the fact that there are hundreds of posts about total nonsense and bovine scat, yet the memories of fallen brothers are cast aside for the above posts.

Maybe my crust is getting a lot harder as I edge closer to retirement...

[JayDudley]

I'm with DeputyMarshal on this......There are many of us who pay their respect privately and NOT on a web site.


P.S. DC Gonzo When someone gets close to retirement your entitled to have some crust. I've been retired for 13 years and there's still some crust on myself.

[DeputyMarshal]

Maybe my crust is getting a lot harder as I edge closer to retirement...

I'm with you there... Personally, I'm more concerned that we all remember the fallen where it counts; on the job every day so that their sacrifices are not in vain. I don't worry so much that some of us tend not to talk about such things here; I worry when we don't talk about them in our stations; in our training academies; and, most of all, in our hearts. To some, a venue as trivial as an online forum isn't the place where we post those thoughts.

I may be crusty but I'm willing to bet that many more than ten of us remembered our brothers yesterday; whether we posted about it here or not.

Here's to the memory of not only the W6 but to all of the fallen and all of those that they left behind. May we never forget their sacrifice; may we never fail to learn from their loss.

[FyredUp]

Gonz,

My respect for the Brother's lost has not weakened, nor has my respect, and concern, for the Chief who stood in the stairway and said "No more" weakened.

Both my wife and I have read the book "3000 Degrees" and that spurned many conversations about the fire in Worcester as well and the fact that the community I work in as a career firefighter has a HUGE cold storage facility.

Respect...OF COURSE. But not just on one day...

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Looking back at my post... I was wrong.
I'm man enough to admit it.
I apologize if I offended anyone.

Please take the lessons learned from that fire and apply them each and every time you respond to a call....

[DeputyMarshal]

Looking back at my post... I was wrong.

Our feelings are never "wrong", Gonz. They're just how we feel. The moment we loose our passion for the loss of even a single brother is the moment it's time to hang it up and find something else to do with our lives.

Keep the faith, Brother!

[FyredUp]

Looking back at my post... I was wrong.
I'm man enough to admit it.
I apologize if I offended anyone.

Please take the lessons learned from that fire and apply them each and every time you respond to a call....

Chief,

I have felt and pondered many things after reading your posts on a miriad of topics, but being offended has NEVER been one of them.

Too many people DO forget the Brothers lost and the circumstances of those losses. We must not let that go away.

Thanks for caring enough to get ****ed off.

[ChiefKN]

Looking back at my post... I was wrong.
I'm man enough to admit it.
I apologize if I offended anyone.

Please take the lessons learned from that fire and apply them each and every time you respond to a call....

Not knowing you directly, but through a relative, you will never have to qualify anything you post here. Your reputation is solid.

It would be an honor to work with/for you.

[JayDudley]

Chief.....There is no need to apologize for your feelings. That is what America is all about ...being able to voice your opinions and feelings. I agree with those who know you personally....you have "The Stamps" to say what you like....you've earned it and have the respect of those who know you or know of your reputation.

[Rescue101]

What is disgusting is the fact that there are hundreds of posts about total nonsense and bovine scat, yet the memories of fallen brothers are cast aside for the above posts.

Maybe my crust is getting a lot harder as I edge closer to retirement...

I don't think so Gonz,I think part of it for those of us who near/and or make the retirement years have a stong bond to the Brothers Lost who "taught" us the lessons that allowed us to arrive here. For me,things that never bothered me in the past( like fatals)now take a piece EVERY time. Every dec,I say a prayer for "The 6" and all others who have held up the HIGHEST tradition of the service. In each loss there is a lesson for the living. The GOOD fire officer will apply those lessons so others may live. My greatest hope is that the day will come when the losses drop to the wee digits. On the days of Black, the pain returns,just like it never left. but WE must prevail and push on. And HONOR those who have gone before us. T.C.

[FireMedic049]

Looking back at my post... I was wrong.
I'm man enough to admit it.
I apologize if I offended anyone.

Please take the lessons learned from that fire and apply them each and every time you respond to a call....

I can certainly understand where you were coming from and agree with the underlying thought, but as others have posted and you've acknowledged, the lack of posting doesn't mean that the rest of us have forgotten this incident or any of the numerous sacrifices made over the years.

Personally, I tend not to post in those types of threads because I really don't know what to say. For me, without something more specific to contribute, adding a "me too" post just doesn't feel sincere enough. Certainly not judging anybody who does, I just don't like feeling cliche on such an important matter.

I routinely think about many of these incidents over the course of the year. The one I probably think the most about other than 9/11 is coming up on it's anniversary this month too - Keokuk, IA. Mainly because that exact incident (other than mutual aid EMS being so far away) could happen in my department any day of the week and you could literally replace Keokuk with my city's name in the report.

[FWDbuff]

Gonz, I posted a memory on my facebook wall. I mentioned that I and my father had marched with the 33,000 other lads in the march in Worcester....And how I thought it was going to be the saddest day in my career, that is until 2 years later.

I can understand your frustration, being very close to home for you. But as others have stated, you dont need to make a post on FH.com to show you care.

And I also agree with another poster- I would pull a deuce and a half through the gates of hell with you any day of the week and twice on sunday.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Gonz, I posted a memory on my facebook wall. I mentioned that I and my father had marched with the 33,000 other lads in the march in Worcester....And how I thought it was going to be the saddest day in my career, that is until 2 years later.

I can understand your frustration, being very close to home for you. But as others have stated, you dont need to make a post on FH.com to show you care.

And I also agree with another poster- I would pull a deuce and a half through the gates of hell with you any day of the week and twice on sunday.

I'd go through the gates of hell with nothing but a leaky garden hose with some of my brothers and sisters here!

[snowball]

Chief, I read all three of your threads on the Worchester brothers. As someone who is on the job and has the window sticker that reads, "Family Member of a Fallen Firefighter", I know your level of pain and then some. I get to celebrate every July 27th getting together with the ones that choose to remember. Those numbers have thinned in the ten years since that day. I don't get mad. I know most want to put that crap behind them.

I get to see part of my brother grow up in front of me by raising his son. (his widow went off the radar and abandoned the boy for dope) I keep his memory alive by sharing stories of him and photos that I have with his son, who by the way is a fine fire explorer, and wants to follow in his great grandfather, grandfather, father, and I hope his uncles footsteps, and get on the job when he can.

I have thought of every brother that has made the ultimate sacrifice when people like yourself create threads in honor of them. I don't post replies because I choose not to. I do however, give them a special place in my heart as well as the loved ones left behind, because I am where they are.

Thanks for keeping their memory alive.

[GTRider245]

Chief, there is nothing to appologize for. We all understand where you're coming from.

I choose not to post in some of these threads for a few reasons. As sad as it is, I honestly believe some people throw around the "RIP" and "Never Forget" phrases without actually knowing the meaning of what they are saying. With the events of recent years, it has almost become cliche.

I am young; the first major LODD incident that occured during my career was Charleston. This one naturally hit home more than the others for me personally. Worcester hit home for you.

Every year (at a minimum) I make it a point to go back and read the reports and review the lessons learned. To me, this is the best way to honor the memories of the guys who lost thier lives in these incidents.

We all have our ways of remembering and honoring them. Unfortunately some choose to jump on the bandwagon for nothing more than show.

[slackjawedyokel]

I posted two links (to the incident)on my facebook page. The lessons learned need to be shared and taught to the ones coming up. I think a lot of folks felt like commenting on the post here would be kind of like preaching to the choir.

[BoxAlarm187]

Gonz, I posted a memory on my facebook wall.

I did the same, from my FB wall yesterday: Remembering FF Brotherton, Lt Lucey, Lt Spencer, FF Jackson, FF Lyons, and FF McGuirk, EOW 12-03-99 - Worcester, MA. To my brothers: if you don't know who these heros are, take a few minutes today to learn about the Worcester 6 and how and why they died. I want to make sure that these men didn't die in vain, and that the members of the fire service who've joined since that time know that Worcester's impact on us will never be lost.

[Leeland]

I remember the incident and was mad as hell at those who had no conscience at what happened costing the lives of six fire fighters who I never met. And I can understand how Chief Gonzo feels because as time goes by people forget, they forget the lives lost that went into an unknown building, with unknown conditions to rescue people who may have been in there and to rescue each other. We must never forget, because if we do we forget our humanity.