An era ended for the Virgin Islands Fire Service Friday night, and a new one began when St. Croix firefighters crowded into Teddy’s banquet hall to honor 11 retirees and celebrate 14 promotions.
The 11 firefighters who have retired take with them a combined 261 years of service, experience and history.
"I consider myself to be the last of the second generation" of V.I. firefighters, said Capt. Austin Armstrong, the longest serving of the retirees with 29 years of service.
Armstrong started his career in 1981, when the men who had built the department in the ’60s and ’70s were beginning to retire. He recounted many of the changes the Fire Service saw during his span of service, building manpower, acquiring equipment then building fire stations to store that equipment.
Capt. Edwin James, who retired after 26 years of service, told the crowd his one rule of leadership that saw him through years as an officer.
"If I’m not going to do it, I’m not going to send anyone else to do it," he said.
The other retirees honored Friday night were: Capt. Barbara Frost, the first female firefighter in the Virgin Islands, 26 years of service; Lt. Roberto Martinez, 21 years; Lt. Eurman E. Fahie, 20 years; Sgt.. Denis Lynch, 28 years; Sgt. Melville Irvin, 26 years; Sgt. Wayne Harvey, 25 years; Cpl. Steven Walcott, 22 years; Cpl. Anibal Garcia, 20 years; and Cpl. Jose Felix, 19 years.
Before he thanked the retirees for their service to the public, Fire Service Director Victor Browne said he had another set of thanks to give.
"Let me thank the wives, the husbands, the girl friends, the families of these firefighters," he said. "Every morning you sent them off to work with a prayer, and when they came home at night you gave a prayer of thanks," Browne said.
Firefighters leave for their dangerous jobs each day not knowing if they’ll see their families again, he said, which requires a special kind of courage from both the firefighter and his or her loved ones.
Browne told the fourteen being promoted that they have a special responsibility in filling the footsteps of the retirees.
"You now have an opportunity to make your mark," he said. "You have now the opportunity to make the Fire Service the beacon, the guiding light of professionalism in the territory."
The promotees honored Friday were: Yvonne Samuel, from lieutenant to captain; Clifford Joseph, from sergeant to lieutenant; Charles Gilbert, from corporal to sergeant; Mariano Camacho, from corporal to sergeant; Felix Denis, from corporal to sergeant; Johnny Frontal, from corporal to sergeant; Paul Christian, from corporal to sergeant; Juan Sanes, from firefighter to corporal; Tamarah Lezama, from firefighter to corporal; Hilarie Laudat, from firefighter to corporal; Dwayne Brannigan, from firefighter to corporal; Keno Walcott, from firefighter to corporal; Antonio Stevens, from firefighter to corporal; Leo Macedon, from firefighter to corporal.
