Firefighters Honor Kaczowka and Chiapperini Through Song
By: Vanessa Herring
Updated: December 31, 2012
Firefighters from Toronto, Virginia, Maryland, New Hampshire, and several other states dressed in traditional Scottish uniforms honor their fallen brothers through song. "The normal public will never understand what it's like to be a fireman," said Mike Nugent, a firefighter from Florida, "and we strive to give those of us that do this the true treatment that they have earned and deserve."
The Drum and Pipe Band plays before and after the funeral services for fellow firefighters."We may not have known the brothers up here in Webster, but in our feelings we do," explained Bob Welch, a firefighter from New Hampshire, "because we know that if something happens up in our neck of the woods that they would be coming up for us too."
Amazing Grace is played as family and friends follow the coffin of the fallen firefighter, "it hits home, we maintain a level of dignity while we're playing," said Johnathan Day, a firefighter from Maryland, "but when you know it's one of your own there's no easy way to always maintain your composure with that."
The men hope their presence, along with the thousands of other fire fighters, police officers, and first responders provides some comfort for the fallen heroes families, "even though this looks like it's a large turnout this is just the one percent of the brotherhood that could make it here," explained Nugent, "there's another million guys that couldn't make it up here." Day added, "we're all connected, whether in New York, whether in Maryland, all over the United States, whether we're paid or volunteer, it's the same thing we do, we could get on that rig any day and it could happen to any one of us."
They say they'll always be there for their brothers, "it's real important that they know just because he's gone now we're not going to forget the families," said Welch, "we're going to be there to take care of them."
