NCC NEWS KALIA BUTLER: STATION 32. TO SOME IN MANLIUS ITS JUST A FIRE STATION, BUT TO A GROUP OF RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS, IT WAS HOME.
MANLIUS FIREFIGHTER BOB BENNETT: “A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY YOU WON’T LAST SIX MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, BUT 47 YEARS LATER I’M STILL HERE AND I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT.”
KALIA BUTLER: BOB BENNETT, DAVID HAASE, PAUL WHORRAL AND MIKE EVERLY WHO NOW LIVES IN VIRGINIA. STARTED AS VOLUNTEE’S AT THE MANLIUS FIRE DEPARTMET IN THE 1970’S. A TIME WHEN CERTAIN PROTECTIVE GEAR WAS MAINLY OPTIONAL.
MANLIUS FIREFIGHTER PAUL WHORRALL: INITIALLY WHEN I GOT IN WE DIDN’T WEAR AIRPACKS AND STUFF BECAUSE IT JUST WASN’T THE NORM BACK THEN. SO WE’D GO IN, WE’D SUCK UP THE SMOKE FIGHT THE FIRE AND COME OUT AND SAY OH THAT’S PRETTY COOL.”
MANLIUS FIREFIGHTER DAVID HAASE: “WHEN WE FIRST DID GET AIRPACKS. IT WAS A DIRECTION FROM THE CHIEF BEFORE PAUL THAT ONLY USE THEM IF YOU HAD TO BECAUSE THEY WERE EXPENSIVE TO FILL.”)
KALIA BUTLER: THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE OVER THE YEARS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO SAFETY. BUT WHAT HASN’T CHANGED, IS THEIR DECIDCATION TO THE FIRE SERVICE. THE GROUP SHARES NEARLY 200 YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE AND SOMETIMES THEY WISH THEY CAN RELIVE IT ALL OVER.
BOB BENNETT: “AT MY AGE THE ONE THING I MISS MOST IS GOING INSIDE AND FIGHTING THE FIRE. I USED TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME. IM STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WATCHING THESE YOUNG GUYS FIGHT FIRES AND I SAYS I WISH I COULD GO IN THERE AND DO IT AGAIN.”
KALIA BUTLER: BEING NATIVES OF MANLIUS, SERVING THEIR HOMETOWN COMMUNITY HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO THEM. SO IMPORTANT WHORRALL EVEN DECIDED TO RUN FOR OFFICE AND WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF MANLIUS IN 2013.
PAUL WHORRALL: THE VILLAGE OF MANLIUS IS JUST A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. IVE BEEN HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE I GRADUATED FROM FM, MY PARENTS GRADUATED FROM MANLIUS HIGH SCHOOL, MY KIDS GRADUATED FROM FM. ITS JUST ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT YOU GET TO KNOW EVERYBODY.
KALIA BUTLER: BUT WHORRALL WASN’T THE ONLY ONE WHO MADE A TRANSITION. EVERLY WHO MOVED SOUTH TO BE CLOSER TO HIS CHILDREN, SAYS THE DISTANCE HAS PUT NO STRAIN ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS OLD CREW.
MANLIUS FIREFIGHTER MIKE EVERLY: “IT WAS A FAMILY, IT STILL IS A FAMILY. THEY’RE MY BEST FRIENDS AND ALWAYS WILL BE.”
“KALIA BUTLER NCC NEWS”
MANLIUS, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) –In the quiet suburb of Manlius, Station 32 stands as more than just a firehouse; it’s a symbol of dedication and service. For a group of retired firefighters, including Bob Bennett, David Haase, Paul Whorrall, and Mike Everly, this station was once their second home.
Bennett, reminiscing on his 47 years of service, says he was met with skepticism when he first started.
“A lot of people say you won’t last six months, three months, but 47 years later I’m still here and I love every minute of it,” said Bennett.
Their journey began in the 1970s as volunteers, a time when protective gear was considered optional.
“We’d go in, suck up the smoke, fight the fire, and come out saying, ‘Oh, that’s pretty cool,” said Whorrall.
Over the years, the fire department underwent significant changes, especially regarding safety protocols. However, their dedication to service remained unwavering, with nearly 200 years of combined experience amongst them.
Despite retirement, the longing for action remains palpable as they watch a younger generation get to do what they all love.
“At my age, the one thing I miss most is going inside and fighting the fire,” said Bennett.
Their commitment to Manlius extends beyond firefighting, with Whorrall even serving as the village’s mayor since 2013.
“The village of Manlius is just a great place to live. It’s just one of those areas where you get to know everybody,” said Whorrall.
Even as life takes them in different directions, the bond forged in the flames remains unbreakable. Everly, who now resides in Virginia, says the distance hasn’t impacted his relationship with his old crew.
“It was a family, it still is a family. They’re my best friends and always will be,” said Everly.
In Manlius, Station 32 stands not just as a building, but as a testament to the enduring spirit of service and camaraderie that defines these retired firefighters’ legacy.
