Firefighter Friday: Chief of the Remsen Volunteer Fire Company Bob Eaton

Welcome to our first ever "Firefighter Friday," where we'll be featuring a local firefighter who deserves recognition for all they do. This week's firefighter is Bob Eaton.

Bob Eaton was nominated by his wife Melissa, to be our featured firefighter on "Firefighter Friday." She wrote,

Bob spends countless hours making sure that the fire department is run as smoothly as possible, He has been the chief of the department for many years...

Bob deserves this honor because he manages to juggle so many "hats." He is also on the board of the Believe 271 committee, which is a foundation that was started to assist members of the fire community in their time of need when battling life-threatening illnesses...

We sat down to talk to Bob about what it's like being a firefighter and different aspects of his job and life. We also found out that his wife is a volunteer firefighter, his son is a junior firefighter, and his daughter has talked about becoming a junior firefighter when she's old enough.

In the video (at the top of this page), we asked Bob to give us a rundown of a typical day at the firehouse and how often they go out on calls. He told us about one of his memorable moments working with the fire department, they were able to save a dog on Christmas Eve that had fallen off a train tressel and onto a ledge. It took two hours, but they were able to rescue the dog and make one family very happy for the holidays.

We asked Bob about one thing he wished people understood about firefighting. He said,

The amount of training. The hours of training you have to do to become a firefighter, and then to keep it up...

It's not like you can just say you want to be a firefighter and put on the gear. There's so much work involved.

And it's more than just being a firefighter and helping out during emergencies. Bob and his whole family are big in the fire community, being a part of various fundraising efforts and events.

Although Bob Eaton is our featured firefighter, we still asked Melissa about being a firefighter, and talked to their son about what inspired him to be a junior firefighter.

For our first ever "Firefighter Friday," we feel like we've gotten a little bonus. It's a featured family on Firefighter Friday! Make sure to check out the video at the top of this page to hear their stories about firefighting and being a part of the community. And of course, we want to thank Bob (and his family) for all that they do. Being a firefighter is no easy task, and being a volunteer firefighter (when you still have a full-time job, a family, and events)... Well, there's something to be said about that. That's why we're proud to have Bob Eaton as our featured firefighter this week on "Firefighter Friday."

Do you know of a firefighter that deserves recognition? Or are you a firefighter that would like to share your stories? Submit your nominations for our next "Firefighter Friday."

BONUS VIDEO: