Photos Of Some Of Our Wonderful Fireman Still On Scene 12 Hrs Later

[Henry]

A very tired looking group of firemen were picking up around 8:15 a.m. this morning when I went down to take some photos - Some of these firemen have been there fighting the fire for 12 hours.  It is difficult to look at this historic old building without choking up as it immediately brings back memories of the baptisms, first communions, confirmations and weddings, as well as the many funerals of friends and loved ones many of us attended there.

I spoke with Mike Cain when I was down there and he told me we would have another date in History to add to our Historical Calendar - December 24, 2008.

Mike Cain

Tim Bessette

Patrick Bessette

Patrick Bessette

Barry Ovitt & Chief Dean Potter

?, Marc Bessette & Willy Jane Patry

[HayesFXFD17]

Not sure if tired is the right word to describe the morning after.  I can't thank my firefighters enough for the conditions they endured during the fire.  Not only giving up Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning, but the 40mph winds, intense heat, zero visibility on the street(never mind what it was like inside the building), the rain and the water from fire hoses that soaked to the bone.  Also thank you to the citizens who brough us coffee and refreshments before the red cross was able to arrive and to Sam for opening his restaurant and operating throughout the night to feed and shelter firefighters who were rehabbing between working shifts. 

The mutual aid we received on scene from Cambridge, City of St. Albans, Milton, and Georgia was invaluable.  Without the help of our neighboring departments we would have lost or seen sustainable damage to other buildings as well.  To be quite frank it was like being in hell for a few hours when the fire broke through to the roof. 

We were able to get all of our mutual aid departments home in time for Christmas morning with their families.  Fairfax firefighters were not quite as lucky.  Around 1:00am we released about 8 of our firefighters who do not have young children so they could get warm and sleep to return to the scene around 6:00am so the Fairfax firefighters with young children could get home to see their kids open presents from Santa.  The last firefighters on scene Christmas morning were able to get home around noon.

This is a huge loss for the community and I hope that they will be able to rebuild especially as a consumer who frequented the market almost every morning for coffee, and at least another 4 or 5 times a week for fuel and supplemental groceries.  My five year old is allready asking where Sunday morning donuts are going to come from now. 

Bottome line is that no one was injured or killed.  Again thank you to everyone who supported the fire department during this fire.

Justin Hayes
Deputy Chief Fairfax Fire

[Razzle Dazzle]

All the firefighters involved are indeed hero's.  My hat is off to them.