The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
FAMILY TRADITION
Brian Burkle Jr. joins Oneida Fire Department as latest firefighter in the family
ONEIDA, N.Y. >> The script for Brian Burkle Jr.’s first day on the job as a member of the City of Oneida Fire Department could have come straight from Holly- wood.
Burkle, 22, arrived to OFD Fire Hall and was barely in house for an hour before gearing up and responding to a structure fire in Oneida Castle at 3795 Prospect St. He joined more than two dozen firefighters from six other local departments in order to put out an early morning garage fire before it spread to the adjacent home and other nearby properties.
One of those two-dozen-plus firefighters happened to be his father and namesake, Brian Burkle.
“When my tone went off, I didn’t even think about Oneida,” the elder Burkle said incredulously.
And so, just more than an hour into his first day as a fulltime firefighter, Burkle Jr. was able to join his father in what can only be described as the
family tradition, battling flames from the Prospect Street garage fire before it spread to nearby homes.
“I wasn’t quite expecting that,” Burkle Jr. said of his first call later on Monday following his swearing in at the OFD Fire Hall, where hewas joined by family and his girlfriend, taking an oath of service to the City of Oneida.
“It’s nice being able to help people,” he said of what drew him to the career choice. “Coming back to the community I grew up in is a huge benefit.”
Burkle Jr.’s grandmother Kathy Cullen had the honor of pinning the OFD badge on her grandson during the swearing in, and Monday’s ceremony evoked many family memories.
“It’s a wonderful feeling,” she said, explaining that Burkle Jr.’s great-grandparents on the Cullen side of the family were members of the Utica Fire Department. “It’s nice to see the family carry on a tradition in the job they love.”
“Ever since he got that black helmet, this has been his dream,” said mom Michelle Burkle, “He lived his dream today. We’re very proud of him.”
Burkle Jr.’s father reflected on his son’s journey to the post of full-time firefighter.
“It’s been a long time coming. He worked his tail off for it,” said Brian Sr., who also touched on the family’s history in various local fire departments. In addition to his father, Burkle Jr.’s sister is also a volunteer. “We’re all firemen. When the tones went off, the whole house emptied out.”
Burkle Jr., who was member of the Vernon Center Volunteer Fire Department for years and also an Oneida County 911 operator, is the 24th full-time firefighter in the OFD ranks.
OFD Fire Chief Kevin Salerno explained that Burkle Jr. was an outstanding candidate for the position as the former Vernon Center FD volunteer already had full-training certification, was a great interview, and one of the top scorers on the civil service examination.
Like the rest of those in attendance at the swearing in, Salerno could only shake his head at the busy morning his newest recruit had on Monday.
“He was barely here an hour,” Salerno said.