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Honor guard ranks expanding
Fire Department aims for 60 with new line of pipers, drummers
By Philip Haldiman
arizona daily star
Published: 07.16.2008
So you think you can be a firefighter? You might be able to save a kitty from a tree or rescue a family from a burning building. But can you march to the beat and drum at the same time?
The Tucson Fire Department is in the process of doubling its honor guard, which will make it one of the biggest in the Southwest. Agency officials are looking to take the guard to the next level with 60 members, complete with a new line of about 30 bagpipers and drummers.
The events of 9/11 have caused increased interest and growth in honor guards, said Mario Carrasco, a training officer for the Tucson Fire Department's honor guard. Because of the acts of bravery from police officers and firefighters, he said, more people want to see them honored for their service, especially those lost in the line of duty.
"It was a big hit to lose 300 firefighters in New York," Carrasco said. "We saw what FDNY went through, and we asked ourselves, 'Would we be ready for something like this? Would we be ready for losing even three, four, five firefighters?' "
The Tucson Fire Department is averaging three to four ceremonies a month, and a big reason its honor guard has been so busy is the passing away of retired firefighters. In the 1960s and '70s, the department had a huge influx of hires, Carrasco said.
Honorary fireman and Pipe Major Bob Baker has played bagpipe at numerous ceremonies for the honor guard, dedicating hours of his free time. He was one of the driving forces behind the creation of a full-fledged pipe-and-drum line.
"I was at the Red Cross Heroes Breakfast in 2004 and the Fire Department's color guard was there. I was so impressed with them that I asked to play bagpipe for them," he said.
The agency was so impressed with Baker's dedication to the honor guard that he became an honorary fireman in March. But Baker was the only piper on the honor guard and he felt that more should be available.
When he sent the word out to firefighters, his goal was to train three or four to pipe. Thirty showed up. Others got wind of the new effort, and requests for a drum line poured in, too. Fifteen showed up to drum.
Today, 20 pipers and 13 drummers remain.
Sean Swanson trains the honor guard drummers when he can get away from his firefighting duties, and Baker fills in when he isn't available. Swanson has drummed for about 15 years, but said that the Scottish technique, notation and style of drumming are very different from what he's used to.
"I'm a student myself. Very few of the founding members had music experience," he said. "We had to start at square one — this is how you read music, this is how you play a scale."
Larry Spiers, a four-year Fire Department veteran, had no musical experience when he read the memo asking for bagpipers. In the beginning, he had to ask his son, who plays guitar, for help reading music.
The pipe-and-drum line has come a long way, approaching musical tasks with "type-A personalities," Spiers said.
"I never imagined I'd want to learn to play the bagpipe, and I almost didn't do it because of the time commitment. But now it's a great feeling to be accepted into the honor guard," he said. "To go out and represent not only our department, but firefighters nation- and worldwide is a tremendous feeling."
The guard meets once or twice a week as a team, and members are expected to practice in their spare time. Swanson, who has taught drumming at Tucson high schools, has been pleased with the progress of the pipe-and-drum line.
"Teaching young adults, parents can tell their kids that they can't go out and play with their friends until they practice," he said. "But with adults you have multiple things going on in your life and it can be hard to find the time to put in the effort and time it takes to really learn an instrument. When you consider it's been just under a year, I am blown away."
Their dedication and discipline have been remarkable, said Baker, who has been teaching and playing bagpipe for more than 40 years. He said it usually takes about a year and a half for new students to play a tune with precision on the bagpipe.
"Bagpipe is a difficult instrument to master. I don't understand how they're doing so well. Most of these people had absolutely no experience in music and wouldn't know a musical note if it walked down the street," Baker said. "I am really proud of these guys and gals. They have worked really hard and they are going to be really good pipers and drummers."
The voluntary commitment isn't only one of time. All members of the new line had to pay for their instruments: A bagpipe costs $1,500. Drums and a carrier are $550 and $300, respectively. This doesn't include drumsticks and drum pads, although the Tucson Fire Department and the firefighters union are fronting the $60,000 for uniforms.
The expanded honor guard's first public appearance most likely will be in the fall, though the pipe-and-drum line won't perform until it's ready, Baker said.
Until then, practices will consist of perfecting songs, marching and formations, and sectional and ensemble work. Members are currently playing songs such as "Amazing Grace," and Scottish tunes such as "Skye Boat Song" and "Scotland the Brave."
"I've been piping for a long time, and nothing has touched working with the Tucson Fire Department — their camaraderie and teamwork," Baker said. "I think the fact that they are trained to be a team, that spills over into the pipe-and-drum line. Plus, they are just terrific people."
Contact reporter Philip Haldiman at 573-4176 or at phaldiman@azstarnet.com.
What is an honor guard?
Historically, the honor guard's job is to present the colors (the flag) and march with precision at ceremonies and official state functions. If a flag is presented at a ceremony, the honor guard is usually there. Another of the guard's primary functions is to provide funeral honors for fallen comrades.
At a minimum, the honor guard consists of four members — two to carry the flag and two to guard it.
The honor guard has long been a part of the military. Public-safety agencies have used them as well, and those units have become more prominent in recent years. Many people who served in the honor guard while in the military are taking what they learned to their jobs as police officers, firefighters and other public servants.
Did you know?
The Tucson Fire Department was established in 1881, and 21 years later the honor guard was first used for Officer William Katzenstein's funeral.
Katzenstein was a Tucson police officer and also the assistant fire chief. On July 26, 1902, he went to a fire near Broadway and Meyer Avenue. As he was opening a hydrant, he was shot five times by Teodoro Elias, who was trying to avenge the recent arrest of his friend by Katzenstein.
Members of both the Fire and Police departments performed honor-guard duties at his funeral.