Heroes Gone

This has been a tough week for the members of the Philadelphia Fire Department. On April 6th, we lost a brother. Captain Mike Goodwin lost his life in the line of duty fighting an extra alarm fire in the Queen Village section of Philadelphia. Captain Goodwin was a husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, mentor, and friend to many. Captain Goodwin was a firefighter's firefighter. The best of the best.

Captain Goodwin's passing comes almost a year to the day after Lieutenant Bob Neary and Firefighter Dan Sweeney lost their lives in the line of duty protecting the citizens of Philadelphia while fighting a five alarm factory fire in the Kensington section of Philadelphia.

The loss of a fellow firefighter is like losing a family member. We are a tight knit group, dependent on each other day in and day out. The bond we share is unlike any other work relationship you can imagine. We are family. We spend more time together than we do with our own families and we laugh & cry together and right now we are hurting.

Please keep the family of Captain Mike Goodwin in your thoughts as well as the firefighters and paramedics of the Philadelphia Fire Department.

R.I.P. Captain Mike Goodwin. I am a better man for knowing you.

When You Weep For Me

Brother when you weep for me

Remember it was meant to be
Lay me down and when you leave
Remember I'll be at your sleeve
In every dark and choking hall
I'll be there as you slowly crawl
On every roof in driving snow
I'll hold your coat and you will know
In cellars hot with searing heat
At windows where a gate you'll meet
In closets where young children hide
You know I'll be there at your side
The house from which I now respond
Is overstaffed with heroes gone
Men who answered one last bell
Did the job and did it well
As firefighters we understand
That death's a card dealt in our hand
A card we hope we never play
But one we hold there anyway
That card is something that we ignore
As we crawl across a weakened floor
For we know that we are the only prayer
For any one who might be there
So remember as you wipe your tears
The joy I knew throughout the years
As I did the job I loved to do
I pray this thought will see you through