Miss-Delectable
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http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17271104&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18171&rfi=6
Inscribed on orange paper taped to Cole and Pattie O’Brien’s kitchen calendar is a date that has their 20-year-old son, Matthew, grinning from ear-to-ear. "Oct. 10th -- Matthew swear-in -- 7:30 F-C Fire House," is the message that caught his eye about a month ago.
"He asked me what it meant," said Cole O’Brien.
What it means is that Matthew will realize a lifelong dream of becoming a fireman, no small feat for a person born profoundly deaf.
"I’m happy, excited," said the Boothwyn resident, communicating via sign language and handwritten notes with the help of his parents.
He will be the first deaf volunteer of Lower Chichester Fire Co.-- Station 39, the second known deaf member of a Delaware County fire company, and among about 15 known deaf firefighters in the nation.
"I like the hat, the coat, the boots and truck," said Matthew who already has a used helmet and other gear that has been passed onto him over the years by his soon-to-be fellow firemen.
Since he was a small child, Matthew has been a familiar face not only at Lower Chichester Fire Co., but at Boothwyn and Reliance firehouses in Upper Chichester as well as at Marcus Hook Fire Co.
"Ever since he was little he could tell me where to turn to go to each one," said his father.
Matthew never tires of showing his 5-year-old nephew Jason the gleaming pumpers and ladder trucks at local firehouses. He enjoys the overall congeniality of the members.
"He just likes to stand out front. He likes being part of the group," said Mr. O’Brien who, himself, was a member of Lower Chichester Fire Co. from about 1979 until 1989.
Mrs. O’Brien’s father, the late Reuben Mikul, was a member of Lower Chichester Fire Co., but died at age 49 before Matthew was born. Mrs. O’Brien’s Lamplugh cousins are all still members.
One of Matthew’s favorite places is the Lower Chichester home of his mother’s uncle, George Lamplugh, who has a collection of firefighting memorabilia including newspaper clippings about famous fires in the area.
"He once had an antique fire truck he drove around," noted Mrs. O’Brien.
Matthew attends parades with his movie camera mainly to film fire trucks, particularly the red ones.
"He wanted to be a New York fireman since we can remember, since he started playing with fire trucks. Since 9/11, that’s elevated even more," said Mr. O’Brien
Matthew has a collection of "FDNY"T-shirts and caps. His favorite TV show is "Rescue Me," a series about New York firefighters inspired by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He constantly reads about firefighters at the library and on the Internet.
Since he was age 2, Matthew has attended Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Philadelphia, where he completed his high school requirements in 2004 and will finish his vocational training program next June.
As part of his curriculum, he has worked at various Philadelphia Fire Department stations, mopping floors and doing other chores. Since last spring he has been working as a cafeteria aide in the Chichester School District, first at Hilltop Elementary School, now at Marcus Hook Elementary School
Matthew said he likes his current job, but would still rather be a New York firefighter.
"I like New York City," he explained.
Matthew is consistent about his fondness for the Big Apple from his allegiance to the Yankees to the miniature Manhattan he created with Lego building blocks that fills his family’s front porch.
He used Joan Padgett’s picture book, "New York From the Air" as reference in creating perfectly square replicas of the twin towers from spare Lego pieces, that rise to almost three feet.
"Even at school when they talk about jobs and stuff he still says he wants to be a fireman in New York and they have to explain to him, ‘You can’t because you can’t hear, but you can help at your local firehouse,’" said Mrs. O’Brien.
Matthew submitted an application to join Lower Chichester Fire Co. several months ago. Around the end of July he was unanimously approved, said Lower Chichester Fire Chief Mike Murray.
"We’re going to bring him in, start him out slow. It could take a year or two years to get into a burning building or ride fire trucks to a call," said Murray.
Lower Chichester Fire Co. Secretary Becky Scott delivered the good news about a month ago to Matthew’s father at Linwood Post Office, where he has worked as a clerk since 1981.
"Oh, he’s excited," Mr. O’Brien said of Matthew, who is the youngest of the O’Briens’ four sons.
He expects to hire Lois Steele of New Castle, Del., Matthew’s sign language interpreter for almost 20 years, to assist at his son’s fire company induction on Oct. 10.
Murray, who has known Matthew since he was a child, said he feels Matthew can read his lips, but would like to learn American Sign Language and make lessons available to other members, as well. He is hoping someone from the community will come forward and help.
"It’s definitely going to be a learning experience for us. I’d love to learn sign language. You never know when you need it these days," said Murray.
For now, said the Lower Chichester fire chief, Matthew will help with fund-raisers, cleaning the fire trucks, and putting equipment away.
"He is not going to be allowed to go into burning buildings or ride the fire trucks for now unless we get somebody who knows sign language and can take his back," said Murray.
But he doesn’t discount the possibility of Matthew going to fire scenes.
"We’re ruling nothing out," noted Murray.
Robert "Robin" Hansen, of the Folsom section of Ridley Township, who was born deaf 52 years ago, has been associated with Ridley Township fire companies for more than 30 years. He is a life member of Folsom Fire Co. and, for eight years, has been a member of Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association where his 46-year-old brother, Cris, is chief.
He has also been a member of the Delaware County Fire Police since about 1994 and does go to fire scenes.
"Once we are on the scene there are limits to his activities," said Cris Hansen. "He provides more of a support role."
Robin Hansen also serves as house chairman for the Swarthmore fire company.
"He takes care of a lot of the responsibilities in the fire station," said Cris Hansen, noting that the firehouse sparkles because of his brother’s strict standards.
Sign language classes have been offered at the Swarthmore fire company not only to help members communicate with his brother, who reads lips, but because ambulance workers sometimes answer calls involving hearing-impaired patients, said the fire chief.
"When dealing with a hearing-impaired person you have to keep sentences short and to the point," he noted.
Delaware County Fire Marshal Joe Locke, a former Collingdale fire chief who has been a firefighter since 1968, applauds Lower Chichester firefighters for welcoming a profoundly deaf member.
"It’s good for the kid and it’s good for the company. It will teach the members something new," said Locke, who noted that current training methods have helped firefighters in general to be safer than in the past.
Locke said Robin Hansen and Matthew O’Brien are the only deaf firefighters he is aware of out of the county’s 78 volunteer and professional fire companies, including about 3,000 firefighters.
Neil McDevitt, 33, of Montgomeryville, Montgomery County, said including himself, he knows of between 10 and 15 profoundly deaf firefighters in the United States. He feels there are probably many more.
"Firefighters work in extremely noisy conditions and hearing loss often occurs as a result of this exposure," said McDevitt who can speak clearly but prefers to communicate with sign language.
Earlier this year McDevitt was named national coordinator of the Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network project. A training program supported and certified by the Department of Homeland Security, it is aimed at improving emergency preparedness for deaf and hard of hearing people.
McDevitt noted that duties of deaf firefighters vary with the individual and department, from support duties to serving on the front line.
"One gentleman from New Jersey was the chief engineer for his department for a few years," he said.
A volunteer firefighter for three years, McDevitt is a member of Station 18 in Montgomery Township. He has done front-line firefighting including search and rescue and nozzleman back-up.
"For me, I’m fully certified and when ordered by an officer, can enter a burning building. However, we’ve established a ‘comfort level’ of sorts where I do use an airpack and provide mostly support functions on the fireground," explained McDevitt.
Matthew O’Brien’s actual firefighting experience currently extends to extinguishing a pile of burning leaves with a garden hose in his family’s yard when he was about 15.
"I let him do it. It wasn’t going anywhere," smiled his father.
Matthew expects to be hosing down fire trucks and helping with correspondence once he becomes an official member of Station 39. But he hasn’t lost sight of what he considers the best part of being a fireman.
"Driving the fire truck," he said with a grin.
Inscribed on orange paper taped to Cole and Pattie O’Brien’s kitchen calendar is a date that has their 20-year-old son, Matthew, grinning from ear-to-ear. "Oct. 10th -- Matthew swear-in -- 7:30 F-C Fire House," is the message that caught his eye about a month ago.
"He asked me what it meant," said Cole O’Brien.
What it means is that Matthew will realize a lifelong dream of becoming a fireman, no small feat for a person born profoundly deaf.
"I’m happy, excited," said the Boothwyn resident, communicating via sign language and handwritten notes with the help of his parents.
He will be the first deaf volunteer of Lower Chichester Fire Co.-- Station 39, the second known deaf member of a Delaware County fire company, and among about 15 known deaf firefighters in the nation.
"I like the hat, the coat, the boots and truck," said Matthew who already has a used helmet and other gear that has been passed onto him over the years by his soon-to-be fellow firemen.
Since he was a small child, Matthew has been a familiar face not only at Lower Chichester Fire Co., but at Boothwyn and Reliance firehouses in Upper Chichester as well as at Marcus Hook Fire Co.
"Ever since he was little he could tell me where to turn to go to each one," said his father.
Matthew never tires of showing his 5-year-old nephew Jason the gleaming pumpers and ladder trucks at local firehouses. He enjoys the overall congeniality of the members.
"He just likes to stand out front. He likes being part of the group," said Mr. O’Brien who, himself, was a member of Lower Chichester Fire Co. from about 1979 until 1989.
Mrs. O’Brien’s father, the late Reuben Mikul, was a member of Lower Chichester Fire Co., but died at age 49 before Matthew was born. Mrs. O’Brien’s Lamplugh cousins are all still members.
One of Matthew’s favorite places is the Lower Chichester home of his mother’s uncle, George Lamplugh, who has a collection of firefighting memorabilia including newspaper clippings about famous fires in the area.
"He once had an antique fire truck he drove around," noted Mrs. O’Brien.
Matthew attends parades with his movie camera mainly to film fire trucks, particularly the red ones.
"He wanted to be a New York fireman since we can remember, since he started playing with fire trucks. Since 9/11, that’s elevated even more," said Mr. O’Brien
Matthew has a collection of "FDNY"T-shirts and caps. His favorite TV show is "Rescue Me," a series about New York firefighters inspired by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He constantly reads about firefighters at the library and on the Internet.
Since he was age 2, Matthew has attended Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Philadelphia, where he completed his high school requirements in 2004 and will finish his vocational training program next June.
As part of his curriculum, he has worked at various Philadelphia Fire Department stations, mopping floors and doing other chores. Since last spring he has been working as a cafeteria aide in the Chichester School District, first at Hilltop Elementary School, now at Marcus Hook Elementary School
Matthew said he likes his current job, but would still rather be a New York firefighter.
"I like New York City," he explained.
Matthew is consistent about his fondness for the Big Apple from his allegiance to the Yankees to the miniature Manhattan he created with Lego building blocks that fills his family’s front porch.
He used Joan Padgett’s picture book, "New York From the Air" as reference in creating perfectly square replicas of the twin towers from spare Lego pieces, that rise to almost three feet.
"Even at school when they talk about jobs and stuff he still says he wants to be a fireman in New York and they have to explain to him, ‘You can’t because you can’t hear, but you can help at your local firehouse,’" said Mrs. O’Brien.
Matthew submitted an application to join Lower Chichester Fire Co. several months ago. Around the end of July he was unanimously approved, said Lower Chichester Fire Chief Mike Murray.
"We’re going to bring him in, start him out slow. It could take a year or two years to get into a burning building or ride fire trucks to a call," said Murray.
Lower Chichester Fire Co. Secretary Becky Scott delivered the good news about a month ago to Matthew’s father at Linwood Post Office, where he has worked as a clerk since 1981.
"Oh, he’s excited," Mr. O’Brien said of Matthew, who is the youngest of the O’Briens’ four sons.
He expects to hire Lois Steele of New Castle, Del., Matthew’s sign language interpreter for almost 20 years, to assist at his son’s fire company induction on Oct. 10.
Murray, who has known Matthew since he was a child, said he feels Matthew can read his lips, but would like to learn American Sign Language and make lessons available to other members, as well. He is hoping someone from the community will come forward and help.
"It’s definitely going to be a learning experience for us. I’d love to learn sign language. You never know when you need it these days," said Murray.
For now, said the Lower Chichester fire chief, Matthew will help with fund-raisers, cleaning the fire trucks, and putting equipment away.
"He is not going to be allowed to go into burning buildings or ride the fire trucks for now unless we get somebody who knows sign language and can take his back," said Murray.
But he doesn’t discount the possibility of Matthew going to fire scenes.
"We’re ruling nothing out," noted Murray.
Robert "Robin" Hansen, of the Folsom section of Ridley Township, who was born deaf 52 years ago, has been associated with Ridley Township fire companies for more than 30 years. He is a life member of Folsom Fire Co. and, for eight years, has been a member of Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association where his 46-year-old brother, Cris, is chief.
He has also been a member of the Delaware County Fire Police since about 1994 and does go to fire scenes.
"Once we are on the scene there are limits to his activities," said Cris Hansen. "He provides more of a support role."
Robin Hansen also serves as house chairman for the Swarthmore fire company.
"He takes care of a lot of the responsibilities in the fire station," said Cris Hansen, noting that the firehouse sparkles because of his brother’s strict standards.
Sign language classes have been offered at the Swarthmore fire company not only to help members communicate with his brother, who reads lips, but because ambulance workers sometimes answer calls involving hearing-impaired patients, said the fire chief.
"When dealing with a hearing-impaired person you have to keep sentences short and to the point," he noted.
Delaware County Fire Marshal Joe Locke, a former Collingdale fire chief who has been a firefighter since 1968, applauds Lower Chichester firefighters for welcoming a profoundly deaf member.
"It’s good for the kid and it’s good for the company. It will teach the members something new," said Locke, who noted that current training methods have helped firefighters in general to be safer than in the past.
Locke said Robin Hansen and Matthew O’Brien are the only deaf firefighters he is aware of out of the county’s 78 volunteer and professional fire companies, including about 3,000 firefighters.
Neil McDevitt, 33, of Montgomeryville, Montgomery County, said including himself, he knows of between 10 and 15 profoundly deaf firefighters in the United States. He feels there are probably many more.
"Firefighters work in extremely noisy conditions and hearing loss often occurs as a result of this exposure," said McDevitt who can speak clearly but prefers to communicate with sign language.
Earlier this year McDevitt was named national coordinator of the Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network project. A training program supported and certified by the Department of Homeland Security, it is aimed at improving emergency preparedness for deaf and hard of hearing people.
McDevitt noted that duties of deaf firefighters vary with the individual and department, from support duties to serving on the front line.
"One gentleman from New Jersey was the chief engineer for his department for a few years," he said.
A volunteer firefighter for three years, McDevitt is a member of Station 18 in Montgomery Township. He has done front-line firefighting including search and rescue and nozzleman back-up.
"For me, I’m fully certified and when ordered by an officer, can enter a burning building. However, we’ve established a ‘comfort level’ of sorts where I do use an airpack and provide mostly support functions on the fireground," explained McDevitt.
Matthew O’Brien’s actual firefighting experience currently extends to extinguishing a pile of burning leaves with a garden hose in his family’s yard when he was about 15.
"I let him do it. It wasn’t going anywhere," smiled his father.
Matthew expects to be hosing down fire trucks and helping with correspondence once he becomes an official member of Station 39. But he hasn’t lost sight of what he considers the best part of being a fireman.
"Driving the fire truck," he said with a grin.
