Working With His Heroes: Eddie and the Narragansett Fire Station

Employment, COVID-19, Rhode Island, Disabilities, Work, Accessibility, Firefighting, Narragansett Fire Station

Eddie at Narragansett Fire Station

On a peaceful street in Narragansett sits the local fire department, with their shining red fire trucks ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. It's a peaceful neighborhood, where signs direct visitors and residents alike towards Rhode Island's beaches, and the community knows it's safe with diligent first response professionals always at the ready. And along with those first responders, of course, are the professionals keeping the station organized, clean, and running efficiently--professionals like Eddie, who always comes ready to have a great shift!

For ten years, Eddie's been coming in for his job at the Narragansett Fire Department, where he works to keep the station in top shape for his peers. His parents introduced him to the firefighter professionals, and from there, learning and volunteering soon became a paid position. Eddie loves fire trucks, and the firefighters that drive them have his utmost admiration and respect. Likewise, the crew enjoys having Eddie on the team for his friendly nature and hard work. Yet despite how many years Eddie's worked at the station, one thing has never changed: him starting each shift by greeting Fire Chief Scott Partington.

"Eddie is a sincere, fun-loving, jolly guy," says Scott. "He's always welcome here, and everyone loves seeing him when he comes in; he's always wearing a smile, cheerful."

At the station, Eddie spends his shifts sweeping the garage, cleaning the bathrooms, and, most excitingly, cleaning the huge fire trucks waiting for their next mission. In between tasks, he also loves catching up with his fellow fire station professionals, talking about all the things going on in their lives and things they're looking forward to. Ten years on the job mean's he's become an integral part of daily life at the station--so much so that Chief Scott has also come to celebrate Eddie's birthday with him at parties and staying in touch with his parents. And the crew also happily invites Eddie to see other cool parts of their work, too, like jet ski training.

"What firefighters do is really cool," Eddie says. "I want to stay working here; I really like this job."

When not at work, Eddie enjoys all kinds of other fun things, like walking down the road to grab a coffee and starting on a day of exploration around town. Living so close to the beach makes summer the prime time to get out and walk along Rhode Island's coasts, or check out all the things to do in his community. He also enjoys a bit of bowling each Tuesday with the crew, as well as Thursdays at Twin River with his friends--and some extra fire station volunteering at the Exeter Fire Academy. He saves the money he earns for things like new sunglasses and lunches out on the town, or for things like Mickey Mouse merchandise, which is always a treat. All around, Eddie's a busy man, and he loves every minute of it.

"He loves coming to the station and chatting with everyone," says Direct Support Professional Adam Dunham. "It's definitely a big part of his life, and you can tell he really enjoys it."

After a good bit of catching up, Eddie is on the floor, ready to do his part around the station to support his local firefighters. He's got a bright smile, and others smile just as big when they see him coming. It always feels good to know your work is valued and that the people you work with enjoy having you on the team--and that's just what the past ten years have looked like at the station for Eddie. He's doing some all around amazing work, and we know he'll be there for many more years to come! Awesome job, Eddie!

Working With His Heroes: Eddie and the Narragansett Fire Station

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