Too close for my comfort

The big Boston news last Friday was the crash of a Boston Fire Department ladder truck. Ladder 26, from the Huntington Ave. station. The officer on the truck was killed. Now as you readers know, my brothers are both firefighters, and possibly some of you may even remember, one brother is a Captain on Boston Fire.

My brother, until almost a year ago, was the Captain on Ladder 26, from Huntington Ave. The men at Huntington Ave. are his friends, two of them his best friends. To say this has shaken my family is a mighty understatement. The Lieutenant who died was in the very same seat my brother occupied for 5 years. This Lieutenant has been at Ladder 26 for 20 years. A great, dedicated firefighter and family man. As I sat and watched the funeral today for the Lieutenant, and saw my brother and brother's best friends as pall bearers, one of them ringing the bell for "2-2 2-2" at the end of the funeral, it broke my heart. It could have just as easily been my very own brother in that casket, the faces would have been the same.

As a sister of a firefighter, there is always the thought when something happens, and a firefighter is killed in the line of duty that "it could be my brother on any call who doesn't come back", but in this case, this hit too close for comfort. This is right in our backyard.

The initial reports are that the brakes failed on the Ladder. It is a miracle that no one else was injured or killed in this horrible accident. Before running head on into an apartment building, this truck crossed 4 lanes of traffic and an MBTA trolley line. By all accounts, Lt. Kelley was blaring the air horn as they sped downhill, unable to stop. He told his men to hold on, he did everything he could. There is a great article on line today about the actions of this brave men, in the course of such a senseless and avoidable accident. Boston.com article

I am grateful again for the fact that my brother has come home from work to his home and family; but I am also grateful for the service and dedication of men like Lt. Kevin Kelley who gave his life while working to help others. Thank your firefighters, be grateful they are willing to put their lives on the line to help anyone in need. Where would we be without them?