Fireman Mick sounds bell on 32-year career
AN Ashbourne firefighter is hanging up his helmet after nearly 32 years of saving lives in the area.
Mick Parker will be on call for the last time on Wednesday, April 6 after 31 years and 11 months serving with the Park Road force, carrying out tasks that have ranged from tackling devastating house fires to rescuing a parrot.
The 56-year-old father-of-two joined the retained crew and says it was something he had always had ambitions of doing in life.
He told the News Telegraph: “I always wanted to be a fireman, and then I bought my grandad’s house when he went away, and I used to watch the fire engine go out from it, and that became my inspiration.
“Everybody knows everybody here in Ashbourne so you always feel like you’re serving the local community. That’s been really special and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Mick says he owes his long career with the service to his family, especially his wife Sharon, and his employers Hill and Webster, who have all had to accept the fact he needs to run off as soon as a call comes in and his pager goes off.
He said: “I really want to thank my family, they’ve put up with a lot, and my two children Sam and Faye haven’t known anything else.
“Missing parents’ evenings, taking my daughter to dance and then suddenly I can’t take her to dance, it’s been a big thing for them for so many years.
“I’ve also had so much support of my employers, Philip and Julie, who have been fantastic to the fire service over the years. I owe them a massive thank you. I couldn’t have done it without them.
“But it’s a massive thing for me to do, and it’s a good thing to do. It shouldn’t be underestimated.
And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it,” he says.
“I’ve made some fantastic memories, met some lovely people and made mates for life. People have retired – but I’m still in contact with them; people I looked up to as a young man.
“They were the inspiration for me. I didn’t think I’d actually do it for this long, but I have.”
Mick says he is carrying on in his job as an engineer, after taking a much-needed holiday, and he plans to use his new spare time to get better acquainted with his bicycle.