Age is not a factor in Bullard’s career choice QUIET
By the time a lot of people hit their mid-40s, they are thinking about how wonderful it would be to slow down and enjoy life a little bit.
But Don Bullard is not that kind of person. In fact, when he was 47 he changed careers and started a job that a lot of 20- and 30-somethings cannot endure — life as a full-time firefighter. He will turn 55 later this year.
Bullard is a corporal with the Rome Fire Department and works at Station 7 in Coosa. He came on board with the department in October 2009.
He said when the fire department announced they were hiring firefighters, he went to put his name in and ended up being one of about 250 other people wanting to try out for the department as well.
“I was thinking, ‘There is no way they are going to hire this 47-year-old guy,’” Bullard said. “They were only hiring 12.”
Bullard had gone through Firefighter I and Firefighter II classes already from what was then Coosa Valley Tech. He ran the steps at Barron Stadium and worked out at the Vitality Center to sharpen his fitness level.
Phil Litton recently retired from the Rome Fire Department as a battalion chief. He worked often with Bullard and witnessed his efforts to pass all of the tests and training to join the department.
“Just think about it,” Litton said. “It’s a tremendous struggle. Don has got tremendous fortitude. He struggled but he did it … You don’t have a clue how many [younger trainees] have dropped out. We said, ‘The old guy — we’re going to kill him. He’s not going to make it.’ But he made it. He’s amazing.”
Litton said most people training and testing to join the fire department are between 18 and 24 years old. They would have to be able to successfully Don Bullard (right) and Eric Ramey work at a structure fire. Don Bullard cools off runners at Charlie Henderson’s cancer run.
navigate fire and rescue situations wearing 60 pounds of gear and protective clothing.
A lot of the younger trainees don’t make it through successfully or they drop out because of the strenuous physical requirements.
“To be honest, Don is the oldest person who went through rookie school,” Litton said. “It’s tough and Don made it. Don has a deep desire to serve his fellow human beings.”
“The Lord had to be in that because I beat all those young guys,” Bullard said.
In addition to his regular firefighting duties, Bullard also serves as a chaplain with the department.
“It’s in its infant stages,” Bullard said of the addition of the chaplain position at the department. “That had been bantered around for years and years and years. When I had gone back for my second or third interview they asked me, ‘Where do you see Contributed photo Contributed photo
yourselfinfiveyears?’”
He answered that he would like to serve in a chaplain capacity, and, “lo and behold that opportunity presented itself,” he said.
Firefighters often visit schools, and during one of Bullard’s visits to Pepperell Elementary School, one of the children asked him what a chaplain does. Bullard explained that there are 161 firefighters, and they consider themselves a family. Everyone has different backgrounds. But sometimes they see things in their profession that make them sad or are difficult to internalize. So, like a child might want to talk to their clergy about a problem if they need help, other firefighters sometimes want to speak with Bullard when they need help or are having trouble dealing with some of the situations they have been in while on scene.
“We’ve seen a lot over the years,” Litton said. “You see some of the saddest things, and there we stand. We’re the first ones victims talk to. Chaplains have extensive training. There’s death and destruction all the time. We were the last one to touch a loved one [before that person died]. As a firefighter, Don goes through these things, and yet he’s willing to counsel other firefighters.”
Bullard works 24 hours on and 48 hours off, like all firefighters. He starts his morning at work with breakfast — sometimes as the cook. He and his coworkers check the fire truck and make sure all of the equipment is in order and the truck is in good shape. They have to make sure their beds are made and the firehouse is clean.
“I don’t do anything here [at the fire station] that I don’t do at home,” Bullard said,
If they are not out on a call or cleaning up the firehouse, they may be training at the fire tower off North Avenue in North Rome. They may be checking fire hydrants or helping with building inspections. They may be at a school presenting a program to children.
“And we go to a ton of birthday parties,” Bullard said.
Bullard said he is incredibly grateful to do what he does for a living, and hopes to continue working as a firefighter until retirement age.
“I feel like I’m right where the Lord has put me,” he said. “I genuinely do love my job.”
“You’re with these guys 24-7,” Litton said. “You see a man at his worst and his best. It might be three in the morning. Don Bullard always has a smile on his face.”
“He still calls me chief,” Litton said. “I say, ‘Don’t call me that now. We’re just friends. (As a firefighter) he’s in my top 10 list. He has never refused an order. We trained a lot together. It might be 100 degrees, and Don had a smile on his face. It might be five degrees and he had a smile on his face. He was an old guy. But I wish I had 49 just like him.” from C1
Fuller said he took the case with reservations as he had been planning a political run and he was worried the racial tension that the case had churned up would ruin any chances he had to win an election.
“The superior court judge told me that I was a lawyer, an officer of the court, and if that wasn’t an excuse anyone could use for any political questioning he didn’t know what an excuse was,” Fuller said. “I accepted the case and the judge appointed Dan Byers to help me with the work. I never looked back after that.”
Fuller said that he gives Byers a lot of the credit for making him more fearless in the courtroom.
“Dan’s grandfather was the chief of police and he had always been exposed to the law because of it,” Fuller said. “Dan taught me how to be more of an advocate for my clients and he was always ready to go to war if necessary when working a case. He gave me the starch in my trousers I needed to be a good lawyer.”
The case was tried three times, two mistrials and finally ended with an acquittal.
“The case brought rapt attention and really made my name recognizable around town,” Fuller said. “People were shocked at how it all (came) out and it really boosted my standing.” passing Grover on to me.”
Fuller said that besides criminal law, representing his hometown politically was the most fun he has had in his career. He is still involved heavily with the Democratic Party and was even a delegate for the area at the National Democratic Convention supporting Hillary Clinton.
“I even talked my wife Anthonette into going with me and she had fun,” Fuller said. “With 14 out of 17 grandchildren girls, how could I not be a part of going to nominate the first woman to run for president. Hillary suffered from what I call Clinton fatigue — no candidate is perfect. We are all made of clay and imperfect — there is absolutely no perfection at all in the human creation.”
Fuller said it was fun to see his wife experiencing the political process with the delegates after winning the lottery drawn every morning to go in and sit in the convention.
“Most people who aren’t delegates just watch on the TV from the hotel room,” Fuller explained. “Anthonette got to experience with all the other delegates, their wives and even got to sit in Mary Margaret Oliver’s credential seat as she could not make it one day.”
Fuller said that Oliver is one of his two favorite legislators in Georgia and considered it an honor that she allowed his wife the opportunity to sit in such a nice section. In addition to his continuing law career, Fuller is involved with the group One Community United in Rome, where they meet to eat and promote diversity and friendship between locals despite their beliefs. They call it the table of brotherhood.
“It is so important that we all come together now and move past those petty things that keep us apart,” Fuller said. “We need to come together as a community to protect and support our families.”
Ken and Anthonette Fuller are the proud parents of three children and grandparents of over a dozen grandchildren.
“I am so proud of all the kids and grandkids,” Fuller said. “They have all really found their own places in the world and have worked hard to make their communities a better place.”
Fuller said that he will continue to work to make the world better for all of them whether it be by defending those who cannot afford proper legal representation or by fighting to make a better political climate for his grandchildren’s children.