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August 17 - September 6, 2013
City of Chandler Insider
www.SanTanSun.com
HONOR GUARD FROM PAGE 8
guys.” Morrow was also assigned as task force leader for the procession and airport sendoff for the three firefighters that would be flown back to their home states. Other Chandler Honor Guard members served on that and other Prescott funeral details. Their efforts were above and beyond their normal firefighter duties, and it was not unusual for members to complete a long day of service in Prescott, return to Chandler and begin their normal shift at their station. Morrow is proud to lead such a dedicated group of men and women in Chandler. “We feel it’s our honor to be involved in memorial services for our fellow firefighters, to pay our respects,” Morrow says. “And that’s why we hold ourselves to a pretty high standard.”
Chandler Fire Department Honor Guard and Pipes & Drums Honor Guard Commander: Dan Morrow Guard: Allen Blaine Trig Broderick Tom Dwiggins Chad Goswick Brad Miller Dan Morrow Brigid O’Neil Russ Suprak Gary Vicente Pipe Major: Chris Broadley
Pipers: Tommy Curran Chad Goswick Travis McBurney Dan Morrow Drummers: Dan Goldstein Bill Loughren Rob Mcleod Information provided by the City of Chandler Communications and Public Affairs Department.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM PAGE 9
honor guard activities. In the end, this is an outstanding group of selfless individuals who honor the firefighting profession and the men and women who serve.” The camaraderie shared by firefighters is on display every year when a special memorial service is held at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colo. Fire departments from around the United States and Canada send representatives to recognize and salute the heroism of the men and women who gave their lives so that others might live. The Chandler Fire Department sends at least one honor guard representative each year to carry the CFD flag in the ceremony. “When a department loses a firefighter in the line of duty, there is a tradition to attach a black ribbon bearing his or her name to the top of the unit’s colors,” Morrow says. He recalled the powerful moment of seeing the flags from New York City, Boston, Los Angeles and other departments with long histories, and seeing their flags bearing so many black ribbons. “We are very fortunate that there are no black ribbons on the Chandler flag,” he adds. For many ceremonies, the CFD Honor Guard is often accompanied by the department’s Pipes and Drums unit. The bagpipes have been associated with fire and police departments for more than 150 years, back to a time when Irish and Scottish immigrants took on the dangerous and dirty jobs no one else wanted, like being a firefighter. In the
HONOR GUARD: Fire Department Honor Guard members retreat after presenting the colors at the City’s 9-11 commemoration ceremony last year. From left, front, are Firefighter Gary Vicente, Firefighter Dan Morrow, and from left, back, are Engineer Chad Goswick and Capt. Allen Blain. Submitted photo
Scottish tradition, the haunting sounds of the bagpipes were played at the funerals of fallen heroes. Chandler’s Pipes and Drums were formed in 2007 and performed publicly for the first time in 2008. As with the honor guard, the members of the pipes and drums are dedicated volunteers within the department who participate in countless hours of music rehearsals, drills and ceremonial practice. Together, the men and women serving on the Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums units project a positive image of the Chandler Fire Department within the community, Arizona, the nation and beyond.
LAST ALARM: Fire Engineer Chad Goswick rings the “Last Alarm” bell during a memorial service. Submitted photo