Of Interest to Men
Middlefield Post May 29, 2013 Following in a Hero’s Footsteps
By Kim Breyley Middlefield Fire Department Chief Bill Reed and his wife Lynn raised their four boys on Thompson Avenue in Middlefield. When asked what he would share with others about son rearing, Bill remembers many years back, sitting in the back yard, thankful that he fathered four healthy boys. He challenged them by saying, “You guys need to do something that will make a difference. Dedicate your lives to helping others.” And they listened; three out of the four currently serve in public service. Erik Wright and Brandon Reed are dispatchers for the Geauga County Sheriff’s Department. Third eldest son, Ben, is first lieutenant for the Middlefield Fire Department and an independent contactor for the Hiscox Insurance Agency in Burton. Middlefield Save-ALot currently employs youngest son, Cory. Cory served for a time on the Middlefield Fire Department. Everyone in the family is a Cardinal School graduate. Lynn Reed has also been involved in the business of the fire department and is currently the secretary. Ben recalls, as a young boy, hanging out at the department while the firemen, including his father, were out on calls. He enjoyed trying on the gear and
(l- r) Firefighters, Middlefied Fire Chief Bill Reed and son, First Lieutenant Ben Reed pretending to be a fireman. Ben says,” I was raised on the front bumper of a fire truck.” It’s apparent that Ben and Bill have a very close bond. Ben attributes this to the fact that his father coached his baseball team, from T-ball, through his formative years and until he played high school ball. Ben says, “I had to grow up a lot faster than most of my friends. I remember when
I was about nine, there was a chimney fire outside of town and the family lost everything including a young child. It was Christmas time and I was complaining. My dad pulled me aside and explained to me how that family had nothing. That was a defining moment for me. Never again, to this day, do I ever feel sorry for myself.” The chief vividly remembers this fire, too, upstairs
crawling around on the floor, trying to find the missing toddler. He entered a room with Legos and Matchbox cars on the floor which reminded him of his sons and hishome. They finally found the boy, wearing a onesie, tucked back in the closest, but the child only survived a few days. Both men recall their first fire together. Bill expressed his concern en route. He knew it would be very tragic going in. It was at an Amish home and three lives were lost. Ben says, “He was driving, I was riding.” He remembers the rewarding feeling of he and his dad being on the lines together for the first time. Bill was careful to warn his sons when responding to fires and accidents, “We are in a small town, and you are going to see someone you know, your friends and family.” Public safety is definitely a family affair. Ben says, “It’s pretty cool. Many times I will be on a call when my dad is in charge and my brothers are on dispatch. If I need something, I know I will have it quickly.” This community has that same assurance and is fortunate to be protected by these men and the many others who risk their lives daily to save ours.
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