Life Transitions: My husband is a retired Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal from the Olympia Fire Department, so we have had the privilege of returning to our roots to attend functions at what is now called Fire House Station #5. This station is not the traditional “fighting fire” type of fire station. It is a place for retired firefighters and their families to gather, share experiences, offer support, and work on several antique fire engines housed there. Over the past 3.5 years, its mission has evolved. Now it is a non-profit 501-C3 community service organization.
It all started when Ray McDonald (a retired firefighter from Olympia) and his wife Renee bought a country home with a huge 3-car attached garage, with a few outbuildings. Ray wanted a place where he could continue to restore his antique fire engine. Since the property payments could strain their finances, he thought renting out RV storage would offset the cost. However, as word got out in the firefighter network, more fire engines started showing up. There are now 4 engines stored engines, with a few trucks out back to use for parts.
(Those guys love their fire trucks.)
What happened after that has amazed everyone. There was an obvious need for the retired firefighters to stay involved and honor the career they dedicated their lives to. As the other antique engines found their spot in the garage bays, fire department paraphernalia started showing up. They attached the donated retired Olympia Firefighter’s bunker gear and helmets to a wall and filled the opposite wall with Tumwater’s bunker gear and helmets. Tumwater, Olympia’s sister city, also has an antique engine housed in the garage. Whatever wall space was available became filled with photos and more paraphernalia. One corner of the room permanently houses a kaffeeklatsch meeting space. Mondays are the formal day when retirees meet for coffee. Some came to work on the rigs, some to chat about their lives and remembrances of bygone days. The group uses a few of the engines to participate in parades, visit the Children’s Hands-On Museum, and attend to any other requests made of them. Because of their notoriety, the City of Olympia designated this meeting place as the official Fire House #5.
Since my newsletter focuses on life transitions, I wanted to highlight the value Station #5 has had for not only Olympia and Tumwater retirees but also for the greater first responder community and their families. After their publicity reels, more first responders wandered in from outlining cities. This reminds me of the movie line; If you build it, they will come. It’s the connection Station #5 offers that draws them there. Those outside first responder careers might not understand how their work impacts them.
Recently, my husband and I attended a barbeque for Olympia Fire’s new cadets at Station #5. Choosing to have the function there was connecting the young firefighter cadets with the legacy of the men and women who had come before them. Olympia Fire Chief Matt Morris suggested to the cadets that the retirees at Station #5 were available as mentorship, where they could learn from those who had come before them. Chief Morris is fairly new to Olympia Fire, but from his experience in the fire service, he has never seen such camaraderie and purpose displayed by the group at Station #5.
| Retirement can be difficult. Leaving a career where you’ve bonded with fellow firefighters during a 24-hour shift, often at the same station, year after year, causes something extraordinary to happen. A firefighter counts on their bunkmates to have the physical strength, the acquired skills, and the emotional stability to assist in whatever comes their way. First Responders have served their community addressing situations most of us will never have to see or experience in our lifetimes. Sometimes, firefighters plan their retirement (often earlier than most), but unfortunately, some firefighters are forced out by injury or duty-related illness. In either case, moving into civilian life can be difficult. I have heard many first responders experience delayed PTSD, so a place to share stories can be beneficial to them. Retirement also changes the dynamic in their households when shift schedules no longer structure their time away. Some firefighters might experience some level of feeling untethered or lost when their second family is no longer readily available to them. Most significantly, retirement can take away their sense of identity and purpose.
Through the generosity and sensitivity to the needs of his fellow firefighters, Ray and Renee have somewhat sat back and let the metamorphosis of Station #5 happen. The station, now a non-profit with a board of directors and a willing group of volunteers, continues to expand its vision for what Station #5 can become. Ray has often opened the doors to someone who drifts in, needing a place to be. Wives have called and thanked him for the change they saw in their spouse after spending time at Station #5. Monday morning kaffeeklatsch attendees are now up to 25-30 first responders from all over the area. Ray, himself benefited from a firefighter (Jerry Hall) just stopping by when he was alone at Station #5 and having a cardiac event. Thankfully, Ray made it. It’s my opinion, Station #5 has rescued the souls of many first responders, their marriages have benefited, and the community, at large, has continued to be blessed by their continuation of service. Action Tip: Finding purpose after an identity shift can be as easy as finding people who have a mutual interest, a past connection, or, if not that, allow yourself the excitement of discovering what new people and endeavors could bring to your life. If there is not the type of group you want, take it upon yourself to bring people together in any way you see fit. You never know what it will lead to. One thing it will do is chase away that inevitable sense of not being needed as you age and the isolation that creeps in. Your taking actions can fulfill you and be meaningful to others. |
