Editor’s note: Chief Adam K. Thiel reflects back on what Chief Thomas Carr’s life meant to him and his career.
I know many firefighters, career and volunteer, initially serve because they know a friend or family member who is a firefighter; I didn’t. For others, becoming a firefighter is the culmination of a childhood dream; as a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut.
No, my journey started 21 years ago, in Montgomery County, Md., as a complete accident. I first decided to volunteer so I could get my EMT certification because I thought it would be useful in SCUBA diving. It was, but I was quickly bitten by the fire service bug, in no small measure because of the people I was fortunate enough to meet in those early days.
Standing out among the many who influenced me in those days, was Chief Carr.
Back then, he served on Montgomery County’s Rescue Squad Three in Rockville, Md. I still vividly remember his photo on the cover of the old Rescue magazine; he seemed larger than life and it was the first time I recall thinking, “that’s what I want to do with my life.”
On several occasions I had the chance to take classes or otherwise interact with Tom. As you’ve probably guessed, it takes a lot to render me speechless, but when he was around, I kept quiet and hung on every word.
I know many other firefighters, from my generation and others, who were similarly influenced by his positive example. I also had the opportunity to work briefly with Chief Carr as a “peer” fire chief in the National Capital Region, before he went to Charleston. Again, the example he set, his way with people, was simply awe-inspiring.
He will be sorely missed, but his legacy lives on in all of us who benefited from knowing him.
R.I.P. Chief.
