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"Everybody has a story from that day." That is what State Senator Steve Brewer said to me as we talked after the dedication of the Franklin St. Fire Station in Worcester earlier this week. Steve along with State Senator Harriet Chandler, Rep. Vinnie Pedone and the entire Central Mass. delegation had worked hard over the years to get some state funding for this living, working, memorial to Worcester's six fallen heroes.
The speeches had been filled with emotion. Lt. Governor Tim Murray and District Councilor Phil Palmierie each had trouble at times as their voices cracked, and their eyes welled with tears. "Everybody has a story from that day." That is why, 9 years later, the dedication ceremony still held so much emotion. Not because of the words being spoken, although they were fine words, but because everyone was suddenly back to that horrible night. The flames that towered so high, the smoke that engulfed Washington Square and the city, the first reports that six were still inside. That they had gone in to search for a reported homeless couple known to be living in the Cold Storage Warehouse. That the alarm to bring the men out had sounded. The realization that the six were not coming out.
I was there that night reporting for WTAG but my story, my clearest memory, happened several days later. I was doing the morning show at WTAG and George Brown and Sherman Whitman would stay at the station to run the broadcast but each morning I would arrive at 4:30 am to set up at the site of the rescue operation as Worcester Firefighters were joined by their brothers from around the state and beyond. They would not rest until they brought their brothers out. I remember seeing firefighters I recognized such as Frank Raffa, dead on their feet, but refusing to go home until this mission was completed. I rember some smiles among the sorrow as well. One firefighter taping on the WTAG News Vehicle window during the broadcast and saying "Hey Hank tell the people thanks but you know we've got enough cookies." We didn't know what to do so dropping off cookies and donuts was at least something. So many memories that came back as people spoke and prepared to cut the ribbon.
It had been a couple of days and the bodies had not yet been recovered. I was standing behind the yellow tape that penned in the reporters. From where we stood we could see the part of the building that was still standing. After the morning show I would stay throughout the day and call back reports along with Bob Hokanson and Karyn Regal. As I stood behind the line, Lt. Don Courtney came by. He came over and said "follow me." I went into the parking lot where the commuters leave their cars during the day to take the train. Don wove his way around the cars and fire engines. I stayed close. "Follow me" he said for the second time as we began to be met by more and more tired firefighters. "I've been listening to some of the news reports, including yours, and you just don't get it. None of you understand what is going on here." He took me behind the remains of the building wall that faced where the reporters were kept. It was a city. A city of firefighters working to bring their comrades home. What I saw was different from what I had imagined in my minds eye. Behind that wall that was still standing was a mountain of rubble. A mountain of rubble, with firefighters on their hands and knees going through it. Firefighters looking and clawing through every shovel full being brought up by the crane. Looking for ...... well know I knew what they were looking for, and Don was right we were reporting on it contiually but we just didn't understand, couldn't understand what was being gone through by those men. Steve Brewer is right. Everyone has a story.
The Franklin St. Station will serve the city well. It is a fitting tribute to the six.
Paul A Brotherton, Timothy P. Jackson, Jeremiah M. Lucey, James F. “Jay” Lyons III, Joseph T. McGuirk and Lt. Thomas E. Spencer.
Hank's Blog 
