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Monday could have been the day. At 12:15 AM, the pager sounded and we began the day with yet another arson fire. After more than 20 years, I sometimes find these calls similar, but never exactly the same. One thing that never changes for all the officers in our department is the safety of our crews is first and foremost.The morning seemed as if it were determined to see how much it could throw at us before we cracked. In the middle of the first fire, the pager sounds and yet another arson fire was beckoning our attention. As we scramble to respond and still handle the first event, we send two trucks and ask for assistance from another department. A home was saved, a garage was lost and before the last drop of water was sprayed, the unthinkable happens . . . a third house fire is reported. We manage again to send crews from our department, the assisting department and again summoned assistance from yet another neighboring department.
After several hours, our crews from the first fire returned to the station for the required work to be ready to respond to the next call. We had no idea it laid only minutes ahead. The fourth fire, (which also appears to have been arson), was reported and once again we responded to do the job. By days end, more than 30 firefighters from 3 departments had tallied more than 12 hours doing a job as physically demanding as any job I know. During our final clean up, we worked and talked and appeared to have been so tired we laughed at jokes that were not that funny. All things considered, it had still been a good day, we all returned to our stations safely. Our stations are more or less our safe haven, most of the dangers we face are either responding to or from or while actually working an incident. This safe haven theory is something I have shared with our officers and those in other county departments. Little did I know, this theory would be proven false in just a few short days.
On Wednesday, like many times before, we were paged to respond. This time it was a truck fire on the mountain. Our crews did their job and returned to the station, (our safe haven). The truck is filled and cleaned, the hose is being rolled and we are packing things up. In a split second, one firefighter is fatally wounded, one is injured and another is mentally in shambles from what had just occurred.
This was not possible, this has occurred in our safe area and we are all left trying to understand why. We accept the dangers we face inside a burning building, inside a wrecked vehicle upside down in the creek or in the middle of floodwaters, but we never thought this was possible. I am writing now, in part, to be sure the people of Boone County understand there are hundreds out there just like our brothers, an injured Jr. Firefighter Nicholas Cornell and Firefighter Barry D. Lutsy, who made the ultimate sacrifice. All we ask in return is the respect deserved of the job. You will not find us approaching anyone asking for a pay raise, we accept there is no monetary pay for the job. We do ask that you support us at levy elections and a simple thank you to your local department means more than you realize.
Barry D. Lutsy, of Ashford, joined the Racine Vol. Fire Dept. in 1975. Over the years, he has proven to be a dedicated member of an agency he truly loved. He was like many of you reading this now: a loving husband, father, son, brother and a true friend. He recently brought his sons into the Racine VFD Family and in short order they have proven like their father, they too have “THE RIGHT STUFF”.
We would truly like to thank the public, the hundreds of members of fire departments, EMS and Law Enforcement agencies, various state agencies and numerous churches who have offered prayers, assistance or just a kind word to the Lutsy family and our department during this time of great mourning. Your kindness is appreciated more than you can know.
My primary reason for writing is in a very small way to try to illustrate what a true loss we have all actually suffered. I think this letter should end with a paragraph that is Barry’s own words and may provide insight into the reason he was loved by so many. These words come from a statement we ask our members to write on an updated personnel form.
“I’ve always tried to help others that needed help, to administer first aid or try to save things precious to them. The department as a whole did this for many when I was a part of your department before. I was very proud of the department and of the firefighters in which I trusted and depended upon when we were fighting a fire. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of the department again”. - - Barry D. Lutsy
Sincerely,
Archie E. Hubbard
Chief
Racine VFD
RAY WAS HERE 08/28/05
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