This past week my hometown of Rocky Mount Virginia lost two firemen. On Monday July 26, 2010 Posey and Danny heard their monitors go off that help was needed at a house fire in the county and these two men didn’t think twice. They kissed their loved ones goodbye rushed off to the station jumped in the truck and took off on their final journey. This was not a job that they were paid for, nor was it a call they had to go on, this life was a choice. Posey and Danny were volunteers and where I am from that means you apply, are approved, take classes, are issued a monitor, uniform, and gear. From that moment on it is your choice to go on the calls for your department. Posey and Danny made the choice to get up in the middle of the night, leave work, or family events for a combined 7 decades. Never once with a worry about their own lives, only the lives of the people they were going to save. They were dedicated, Danny served as Fire Chief of the Rocky Mount Volunteer Fire Department for years, and currently that position was held by Posey who also served as the towns assistant Mayor. These men loved this life, even after heart surgery and well into his 60’s Danny couldn’t just give it up. Members of the department felt safe knowing Danny was there, and the community knew they were in good hands.
When my family moved to Rocky Mount in 1980 it took a simple barn fire across the pasture for my dad to decide that he wanted to join, and from that moment on my dad has lived the life of a volunteer. Now my dad is the Deputy Director of Public Safety for the county also known as the Fire Marshal and he turned what he loved into a career. I grew up around firemen and monitors and “tones” calling for help. I know what Possible PI means or 10-22. I can still to this day some 30 years later know what tone matches what department within the county. I can recall my dad and Posey arguing over the silliest things and end the night patting each other on the back knowing that things were fine. I remember nights at the firehouse just hanging out while the “men” had their meetings and I would play in the balcony with the other children that were tugged along with dad for whatever reason. These men, not just Posey and Danny, but all of them became a part of my life. I saw some on a daily basis, I saw them at their worst, and I saw them at their best. I even stayed in their homes with their families if my mom was out of town and my dad had a call. I am a part of their family without serving along side of them.
I know for a fact that the brotherhood of Fire/EMS is strong and solid. I know that they, we are family. I know that we may not always get along, we may fight, we may even scream at each other but in the end we are family. I say we because it is every single person involved. It isn’t just the firemen that volunteered their families did as well. We watched our loved ones leave during the years and we said our own silent prayers that they would return home safely, that they would protect each other, and that they would save the life they were leaving ours for. I remember looking out windows of neighbors houses as my father took off to help fight a fire, and I remember always waking up knowing he would be home in the morning. It is possible that I should have lost faith and trust in their safety as a child because I have lost a member of my Fire Department family. That member was closer to me than some others may have been, he was my babysitter.
Michael Bassett grew up around the corner from me with his parents and his sister. I can remember many times stopping by their house just to visit with my parents. His parents were friends with mine so it was natural that Michael would babysit me when his sister wasn’t able to. I do not remember how old I was, or even what day the accident happened I just remember the outcome. The Boones Mill Fire Department was looking to buy a new truck, and boy did they need it. They were looking at one with the extended cab; a lot like the ones most stations have today, only where the backdoors are there were none. The backs were open they simply had a yellow “safety” bar. A truck arrived at the station for them to test drive and Michael Bassett and Steve Mills (Daddy Steve as I call him) hopped into the back spots. I can only assume that they were highly excited as their lives, like others revolved around the station. That night they took off driving around the local area that they take care of, which includes many small narrow back roads. They were driving down Brick Church Road when they saw an oncoming vehicle that was taking up a vast portion of this small narrow road. The options on this road were the driver’s side which was a large drop off (it looked like a cliff) or smashing into the passenger’s side into a rock wall. The truck was refusing to move over and the truck was left with its only option which was attempting to go around while tight wire walking the edge of the cliff. The trucks driver’s side tires slipped from the edge and the truck started to fall. From what I can understand the driver’s side hit the side of the cliff first, this just happens to be the side Mike Bassett was sitting on. I was told that Steve and Mike yelled a few words at each other, what, I’m not sure but in the end Mike made the decision to jump from the truck. A lot of what happened next I was never told, nor do I want to know, but in the end I know that Steve was crawling up the hill and stopped beside Mike to see if he was okay and if I’m correct within my memory Mike told him that he was fine to keep going, however Mike had actually been crushed by the truck as it rolled down the hill. I simply know that Steve and the others in the truck made it to the top of the hill, Mike did not.
My parents did not want to break the news as there are some things as a parent you hope that you do not have to explain to your small child. Death was one of those things. I was on the school bus and a lady we picked up who worked in the lunchroom was talking to the driver about how a wreath of flowers was placed outside her neighbor’s house when the husband died. In my mind I think somehow I knew something was wrong because on the way home from school that day I paid attention to his house as my mom and I drove past. That is the day I questioned my parents about Mike, that is the day I’m sure my parents weren’t looking forward to but when the time came my parents explained to me what they could, how they could and I thank them for it. That day I learned just how close the families of firefighters and rescue squad members really are. I was not allowed to go to the funeral so I couldn’t begin to tell you if it was beautiful or if people came from different areas, but I am sure the county grieved for their fallen brother just the same.
It is different today. Now I am an adult and I understand death and I understand dedication. Posey and Danny were dedicated to their department. They were loved by their families, and community. They are now being remembered by the nation. Their lives have touched more people than they even realized. They are missed by more people than they could have imagined, and our community is morning a loss once again. We can move forward and continue as a whole with the support of each other and the support of our Nation. This family that I have spoken about, it is like any other family, we have our close family, being the department we serve, we have our extended family being our community and we have our outer family, being the nation. Today our nation showed its support for our family in ways that I feel we will never forget. They arrived to grieve with us, to share in our loss, and to support us. They gave up their day to serve our community as they would have served their own. They in turn showed our community what brotherhood stands for. I have not lived in Franklin County since 2005, but my heart has always been there. I grieve with you, I cry with you and I face each day with you knowing that two people who served our community selflessly are gone. I know that while we cannot bring them back we can and will honor their memory.
May Angels lead you in while we ring the bell to announce your arrival. Godspeed Posey Dillon and Danny Altice, we shall meet with you again.
Fire Fighters Poem (R.I.P our fallen heroes)
HE STARES IN THE FACE OF DEATH
WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT
TO SAVE THAT ONE SPECIAL LIFE
THAT HE SO BRAVELY SOUGHT
HE HAS WALKED AS CLOSE TO
“HELL ON EARTH”
AS ANY MAN COULD DO
AND HE’S SO PROUD OF THE JOB HE DID
FOR PEOPLE HE NEVER KNEW
HE PUTS HIS LIFE ON THE LINE
EVERYTIME DUTY CALLS
ALWAYS DOING WHAT NEEDS TO DONE
WITHOUT EVEN A PAUSE
HE IS A FIREMAN
WITH OVERWHELMING PRIDE
NEVER AFRAID TO TAKE A CHANCE
WHEN SAVING SOMEONES LIFE
OFTEN HE SAYS
“IT’S MY JOB”
BUT WE REALLY KNOW
THAT HE IS VERY SPECIAL
AND ALWAYS READY TO GO
SO WHEN YOU HEAR THE SIRENS WAIL
OR SEE THE FLASHING LIGHTS
STAND ASIDE AND LOOK WITH PRIDE
HE’S GOING TO SAVE A LIFE.