Jumpline MAG_Spring 2026 - Flipbook - Page 51
When one door closes another
always opens, but we usually look so
long, so intently and so sorrowfully
upon the closed door that we do not
see the one that has opened.
-Jean Paul Richter
Base, New Jersey. After four years of active duty,
my next event occurred. I moved into the reserve
昀椀re department as an opening became available
since my active enlistment ended. My next event
came about quickly as I became a federal civilian 昀椀re昀椀ghter at Lakehurst Naval Warfare Center,
where the infamous Hindenburg blimp exploded
and crashed. I was now involved with three different 昀椀re departments: a federal 昀椀re department,
a reserve 昀椀re department, and a volunteer 昀椀re department.
Life was grand. I moved to another
town and resigned from my volunteer 昀椀re department. After about four years, while living life and
while on weekend military duty, my next event occurred. My previous deputy 昀椀re-chief from active duty, now militarily retired, was visiting our 昀椀re station and we began to chat.
He was a federal civilian deputy 昀椀re-chief in Homestead, Florida
and they had openings and said that I should apply. I did and was
hired at Homestead Air Reserve Base (ARB) Fire Department..
Had he not returned to New Jersey on that day, shown up at the
昀椀rehouse at that exact moment, and crossed paths with me, the
path I eventually walked may have never unfolded. My next event
occurred; a reserve 昀椀re 昀椀ghter position opened at the Homestead
ARB, and I was also hired there.. So, I move to Saga Bay, Florida, and maintained spots in two 昀椀re departments.
In my reserve 昀椀re昀椀ghter department, there were
several MDFR 昀椀re昀椀ghters; always regaling with
great tales of MDFR 昀椀re and EMS, which caught
my attention. My next event was applying and making it into
MDFR_Class 84. After more than two decades there I retired.
Oh, what a ride it was!
I look back, and now I see these events in conspiration with providence, to move me along my
path, for whatever reason, and to posit this principle here: we all have our own journey to walk;
whether seen or unseen, known or unknown, relish each step! But let this be known; re昀氀ection is
not just a virtue or bastion for the elderly, or experienced, it is within the domain of all the thinking….
And it can provide clarity to one’s questions, if not
answers.
Each 昀椀re昀椀ghter has their own path.
Another person’s path began simply, which led to
a rich 昀椀re service journey. His 昀椀re service journey began as an
ER nurse in a Hialeah hospital. He dealt with many paramedics,
of昀椀cers, and 昀椀re昀椀ghters from various shifts and 昀椀re departments.
All told of their great 昀椀re service tales, he listened. His interest
was piqued, his desire borne of those tales, and he saw 昀椀rsthand the job of 昀椀re rescue. He was hooked. He 昀椀rst applied to
MDFR in 1974, getting into class 57. Bob Palestrant eventually
rose through the ranks and served a lot of time in the “zone.” He
was known by many names, but I know of him as a hard charger and 昀椀re昀椀ghter’s 昀椀re昀椀ghter. He moved through the emergency
management and terrorism of昀椀ces. Even after leaving the MDFR,
Emergency Management was still in his blood. He served with
the Broward Sheriffs Fire Department, and is now with a private
crisis preparedness and recovery company. Bob wrote a book,
Never On A 10, conducts a podcast, and has a lot more creativity
to roll out. A very impressive aspect of Palestrant’s journey is that
he has mentored dozens of people in the 昀椀re and emergency
services over decades. One civilian fellow, Bob, began mentoring
over 20 years ago and went on to becoming a 昀椀re昀椀ghter then a
lieutenant in a local 昀椀re department. They are still in contact. His
path is rich and full, and it began from just talking to 昀椀re昀椀ghters.
