Badge of Honor

It may just be a sticker, but for Zack Ouellette, it’s a connection to his dad.

On June 3, 2010, Zack’s father Steve suffered a critical medical emergency in his home. Many of the first responders on scene were firefighters with the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company, which Steve had been a member for 35 years. These were his friends, his extended family.

In the difficult weeks following Steve’s death, Firefighter Jay Selmer designed and purchased memorial helmet tetrahedrons for the men at Steve’s call who so desperately tried to revive him.

At the company meeting Monday night, Jay asked them to stand as he presented Zack with a new helmet. A sticker on the back reads “FM 13-1” and “6.3.10.”

“We lost a firefighter, friend, husband and father,” Jay said. “This is just a little something to keep his memory alive.”

Helmet stickers and tetrahedrons, sometimes called shields or badges, are an important part of personalizing fire helmets.

Firefighter gear tends to be similar – confusing on a chaotic fireground. To stand out, standard front shields include the name of the department, the firefighter’s rank, name and/or radio call sign. For further identification, helmets often feature subtle markings signifying rank, levels of training, significant accomplishments, even tributes. Some say “Never Forget 343” for the 343 firefighters lost on 9/11, “W6” for the six firefighters lost in Worcester, Mass. in 1999 or “Boston 33/15” for the two firefighters recently lost on Beacon Street.

“FM 13-1” was Steve Ouellette’s radio call sign as Deputy Fire Marshal.

Rather than distance himself from painful memories around the firehouse, Zack decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Already a member of the Haddam Junior Volunteer Fire Company, next month Zack will attend the Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks, joined by fellow Juniors Derek Brutzman, Dave Pearson, Kaleb Mislick and James Saucier Jr. Some are going for a full week; others are taking single day courses.

Zack’s path in life speaks volumes about his character, and resemblance to dad.

Steve loved to learn. Like Zack, he started as a Junior in 1975, eventually becoming a Junior advisor. Steve soon began taking on leadership roles like Mechanical Engineer, Captain, Fire Instructor, head of the Membership Committee – even Chairman of the annual Memorial Day Chowder Committee where he wielded a tough spatula in the kitchen. In addition to his longtime service to Haddam Fire, Steve pursued training in fire investigation and became Deputy Fire Marshal for Haddam and East Haddam.

Zack, Steve’s oldest of two sons, shows a similar drive and resilience. A child witness that tragic morning, today he is a young man in fire gear, which he fills in a little more each year. A quiet maturity surrounds the cheerful, curly-haired kid. In the wee hours of Memorial Day, he even helped make his dad’s beloved chowder.

A flagpole in Haddam Fire Station One says, "This place is dedicated to the firefighters – past, present and future.” Steve had it put there when the building was constructed in 2001. He felt strongly that firefighting is a brotherhood in the truest sense of family.

Welcome to the family Zack. Your dad would be proud.

Do You Have What It Takes? Find more information on the activities of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. and ways you can get involved at our website www.haddamfire.com, or connect with us on Facebook.