|
Speech from Mayor Kahwaty
In commemoration of tonight’s dinner, I’d like to offer you three quotations about firemen that are particularly apt. The first is from Susan Diane Murphree, who said: “Fireman never die; they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved.”
Another quotation, from Tom Dawson, is also appropriate: “Being a firefighter is as close as you get to being a modern day soldier in your home country.”
But the one I like the best is from baseball great Ted Williams who said: “That’s the life, being a fireman. It sure beats being a ball player. I’d rather be a fireman.”
And in my own own profession, there’s a good chance it beats being a lawyer as well… at least sometimes.
Fire fighting, as with all our public service professionals and volunteers, are people we often take for granted. Ready to respond on a moment’s notice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We almost forget that they are there - until we desperately need them. And sometimes, and hopefully not often, they are hurt - or worse - saving us from a conflagration for which there would be no escape without them.
In Franklin Lakes, we have been the fortunate recipients of the volunteer services of our own fire department since 1924, when “Gentlemen Citizens” (as described in their website) organized the first department while a blizzard raged outside. With the blessing of then Mayor William Valentine Pulis and the organizational skills of Harry Gale Mcnomee of the Oakland Fire Department, a great chapter in the history of franklin lakes was created. Today, our heroes respond to an average of 600 emergency calls per year, in which over 30 members allow their lives to be interrupted and placed in danger to save neighbors.
I could go on about individual feats of heroism and commitment from these outstanding volunteers, but our guests tonight wouldn’t be here unless they shared the same affection for these fine men and women.
So, I would like to conclude with another quotation which I think sums up the feelings we have for this Department.
In the words of Edward Croker (and this applies equally to men and women): “When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work.”
Congratulations to Franklin Lakes’ Bravest on its 100th Anniversary!
| 
