Editor’s Note: The letter below was sent to the West Windsor Fire Department in December, 2015.
Fire Department Personnel,
We experienced a fire at our home located at 4 Wallingford Drive; West Windsor Township, 08450; on the night of November 29, 2015.
You (all) responded to our crisis with speed, proficiency, and a sense of duty that was amazing. We are literally in your debt. Your coordinated team work and sense of individual responsibility were a marvel to behold. Your overall effectiveness was only surpassed by your humility and professional attitude.
However, even among such a group of stellar firefighters one person stood out. His name is Captain Joe Burns (pictured above). Let me explain.
Joe lives in our neighborhood. When the fire started a quick thinking neighbor contacted Joe and asked him for his ‘possible’ assistance. The conversation ended and 5 seconds later Joe was at our house. He was the first firefighter at the scene. He quickly assessed the situation, grabbed a garden hose and started to extinguish the fire. He did this with limited personal protection and clearly at some risk to himself. When other firefighters arrived his behavior instantly switched from ‘me’ to ‘we’. Joe the individual disappeared and Joe the team member emerged. Finally, I recently learned that he functioned this way the day after undergoing a medical procedure for his eyes and was medically excused from working the day of the fire. Such behavior is the making of a Hollywood movie – only few people would believe it.
During the course of the evening several fire personnel mentioned to me that Joe’s quick thinking and heroic action literally saved our house. I (somewhat sarcastically) questioned this explanation from the first person to mention it with a phrase like: ‘You mean a garden hose saved my house?” The fire-fighter quickly responded: “Yes sir. A garden hose in Joe’s skilled hands saved your house.” He then gave me a detailed explanation of how quickly a fire can spread. I didn’t repeat my snippy question to the next firefighter who told me of Joe’s singular contribution.
Later in the evening I encountered Joe personally. His face was covered in soot and he apologized for ‘politely pushing’ me to provide him the garden hose that (in his hands) saved our house. When I tried to thank him for saving the house he somewhat sheepishly replied with; “Gee, the response was a team effort and we (the firefighters) were just doing our jobs. It’s our way of repaying the community.” His and the entire fire team’s collective expressions of humility and unselfish behavior make us proud to be part of the same community.
The enclosed check is our way of expressing our thanks to Joe and the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Department. Again thank you one and all.
It is my understanding that others can make contributions to the fire company at this address:
West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No 1, Donations Department, 153 South Mill Road, West Windsor Township 08550.
Dianne and Jim Weitzul
Wallingford Drive, West Windsor
