Fairmount Volunteer Fire Company 5th annual banquet

Fairmount Volunteer Fire Company 5th annual banquet

"I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the fireman has to do believe that his is a noble calling. Our proudest moment is to save lives. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even of supreme sacrifice."   ~ Edward F. Crocker

Slide show to follow intro...

The Fairmount Volunteer Fire Company Station 9 was established in 1999. The sleepy community of Fairmount is in Westover, part of Somerset County. Somerset County is full of sleepy little towns. among them Crisfield, Deal Island, Mt. Vernon, Marion, and Princess Anne.  All have volunteer fire departments and their own in-house EMTs, with the Lower Somerset County Ambulance and Rescue Squad being located in Crisfield.

Small towns are the gems of our country.  Tourists and passers-by  revel in our county's scenic beauty - simply gorgeous on the Eastern Shore, enjoy the festivals and events that when the weather turns,  inundate our county like fireflies on warm summer nights. But what about the people who live in these communities?  Part of being a good tourist is getting to know the people. Over the past four years, using my cameras, I have gotten to know the people of Somerset County, bringing many of their faces and stories to you on this blog. They have amazed me with their stories, their humor, and their strengths. But what amazes me most is their humbleness and their willingness to reach out to both strangers and neighbors.

As I was photographing the FVFC's banquet, I saw brave humble hardworking people who made me proud to be living in Somerset County. Our firefighters are like brothers, working together whenever and wherever they are needed.  I have covered fires where every fire department showed up. In many areas there are no fire hydrants and extra equipment such as pressure tanks, and what I like to call swimming pools for lack of better words have to be brought in. And our men and women are on call 24/7 - with no pay.

I will end this by referring to the above quote.  By all standards, yours is indeed a noble profession. Thank you to all the men and women of all our fire departments everywhere. And a special thanks to the FVFC firefighters and EMTs who made me feel humble in their presence.

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There are over 60 photos that have to load, so please be patient. Fairmount, I have a CD with high-resolution photos for your personal use already burned without the copyright. If anyone is going to be in the area let me know and I will meet you. If not, I will slip it under the door when I get over your way. Story will run in the Feb 23, edition of the Crisfield-Somerset County Times.