Willoughby Fire Department marks International Firefighters’ Day with community event

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio -- Firetruck sirens pierced the quiet of the rainy Sunday afternoon in a heartfelt tribute during the first International Firefighters’ Day ceremony in Northeast Ohio.

The Willoughby Fire Department hosted the inaugural event, which brought together vintage firetrucks and featured active and veteran firefighters in a day of remembrance and community connection. Dozens of attendees of all ages braved the chilly temperatures and scattered showers to make their way to the Willoughby Fire Department on Euclid Avenue for an hour-long open house.

“We had some fire prevention materials, tours of the fire station for kids and adults to just let them see us and the equipment up close,” Willoughby Fire Chief Tony Ungar said. “We do look scary when we put all of our equipment on, but we’re not as scary as we look and we’re there to help.”

Following the open house, six firetrucks and several EMS vehicles led a precession with sirens and lights to a Firehouse Subs less than a mile from the station at Willoughby Commons on Euclid Avenue. The firetrucks then parked to allow people to mingle with the firefighters and to see what it was like to sit behind the wheel and take photos. There were even three Dalmatian dogs in attendance.

Kenny Rybka, president of the Western Reserve Fire Buffs Association, which reached out to Willoughby to organize the event, said Europe has been observing International Firefighters’ Day for 150 years correlating with the fest of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters.

“I just want people to know that we honor a lot of firefighters who die in the line of duty,” said Rybka, a 21-year veteran of the Bedford Fire Department. “And in April there were two in Ohio that died.”

Sunday marked two weeks to the day that Lt. Paul Mickolick, a Wayne County firefighter, was killed after being fatally struck by a vehicle while helping another driver stuck in a ditch in West Salem. Less than a week prior, John Saunders of the Tri-Community Joint Fire Department in Huron County, died in the line of duty after responding to a house fire, WKYC reported.

“The vast majority of firefighters will go through their career and fortunately not suffer that, but there are plenty of other firefighters who are retired that have job related illnesses and injuries that they’ll carry with them forever. So this day is to commemorate everybody that was involved, including current firefighters,” Rybka said.

In addition to mingling with the local firefighter community, attendees enjoyed a meal at Firehouse Subs, which helped organize the event. Chris Pesti, who provides regional support to the restaurant chain’s franchises, said the company was holding similar ceremonies in other cities across the country.

Founded by firefighters, Pesti said the sandwich chain’s Firefighters Foundation has raised $4.9 million in grants to provide life-saving equipment. Franchise owner Patrick Breen said Willoughby has been of the beneficiary of that effort, receiving automatic external defibrillators from the company’s foundation.

Breen said it was “huge” for his franchise to be a part of the event.

“It’s great seeing all the trucks old and new, and see all the smiles on the kids’ faces. And I’m like a kid too because I like the trucks just as much,” he said.

Rybka is optimistic that the event will become a local tradition.

“We’re hoping now that we’ll make this a tradition and encourage other fire departments to get on board next year and do something just in their local community, too.”