Fire station becomes second home, family

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Erin R. Babis
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Firefighters of the 48th Civil Engineer Squadron perform 24-hour shifts at the fire station every other day.

As a result, the fire station becomes more than a workplace. It can be a second home, and everyone in it becomes a family.

"Because of the inherent dangers in our job, we form a brotherhood much like explosive ordnance disposal and pararescue [units]," explained Master Sgt. Phillip Clark, 48th CES assistant chief of operations. "The only way to understand it is to be a part of it and share that life and death experience."

The amount of time everyone spends together at the fire station naturally lends itself to creating a family environment, said Steven Kelly, 48th CES fire chief. Also, the fire station is open to visitors and families to share meals with loved ones.

"It's part of our marriage," said Jennifer Coughlin, unit key spouse and wife of Tech. Sgt. Kevin Coughlin, 48th CES station captain. "Like any other marriage, you have to make things work, and, in the fire department, we do half of it here. It's a second home."

The personality of the fire station 'family' reminds Clark of his siblings growing up.

"We played, fought, argued and messed with each other, but I would give my life for any one of them," Clark said. "The fire station is the same way."

However, they don't just put themselves on the line for each other, they also take care of each other's families.

"They take care of the family as a whole," Coughlin explained. "My daughter has grown up calling them all uncle. It's her normal."

Kelly and Clark have nearly 50 years of experience combined, and they're still passionate about their work.

"It takes a special breed of person to run into a burning building or aircraft, when everyone else is running away, in order to save someone that we don't know," Clark said. "I, without a doubt, have the best job on the planet."

"It takes every Airman to make this mission happen," Kelly said. "What I like to reiterate is we are Airmen first, civil engineers next and, finally, firefighters. But, I'd say we're very fortunate to hold that title. I've held it for 30 years, and I wouldn't want it any other way."