Picture of a photograph of Kane taken in 1999
WESTFIELD – When trying to sit down to interview Westfield Fire Deputy Chief Patrick Kane during his last day on the job Friday, it became abundantly clear how he spent the past 39-plus years of his life.
He responded to two calls–a student trapped in an elevator at Westfield State University and to a lock-out–within a short period of time Friday morning not to mention tending to numerous incidents in-house while being interviewed.
The department responds to approximately 10,000 call a year, which comes out to nearly 30 calls per day, he said.
Kane’s enthusiasm and high energy were obviously a good match to his career-choice.
Kane working a fire at Morrissey block on Elm Street in the 1980s.
After studying electrical wiring at what was then known as the Westfield Trade School, he worked for New England Phone Company for six years before taking the civil service test to become a firefighter.
He was drawn to the excitement, the challenge and prospect of helping people.
“I remember walking through the door,” Kane said. “The old-timers, a lot of World War II vets–some tough guys who had seen a lot–trained us,” Kane said.
“I was nervous,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect.”
A fire that remains vivid in his memory is one from six or seven years ago that destroyed two apartments at Powdermill Village and claimed the life of a resident.
“It was so windy,” Kane recalled. “The black smoke was so thick we couldn’t even see the building. The wind was blowing embers all over.”
Kane saw many changes in technology over the years, particularly the fact that now the department has 45 full-time paramedics.
“EMTs were brand new in the 70s,” he said. “We didn’t even have a jaws of life in this department until 1978.”
The department now has boats and defibrillators and all kinds of better protective gear for firefighters.
Firefighter Ted Drummey, who has been worked with the WFD for 28 years and worked under Kane for the last 21 years, referred to him as “old school, a ‘smoke eater,’ who is taking with him a lot of years of experience.”
“With each retirement, we lose these fire encyclopedias, people who have seen and done a lot,” he said.
Capt. Eric Bishop echoed Drummey, saying, “The years of experience and the wealth of knowledge are going to be lost, but hopefully we gleaned some of that from him.”
Kane’s favorite part of the job: “helping people, getting to know people and meeting a lot of nice people out there.”
“We were taught to treat everyone like your sister, mother, brother,” he said.
Even though many calls may appear routine, “You have to treat everything like it’s an emergency. You never know until you get there. There are a lot of surprises.”
He said the most challenging part of firefighting is expecting the unexpected.
“At some fires, things go wrong,” he said. “You have to be prepared to switch action.”
Retiring is “bittersweet,” Kane said, “It’s been a long career. I’ll miss the job. I’ll miss the people.”
He won’t miss having to respond to emergencies in the middle of winter, dealing with snow and ice and working on holidays.
“I’ve missed a lot of family events,” he saidd, hoping he can now spend more time with his five children and seven grandkids.
Will Kane be bored after nearly 40 years of challenges and excitement?
“My wife is going to help keep me busy,” he said.
They plan to travel, “taking off and doing whatever we want to do.”
Kane had hoped to sneak out quietly after his long career, but the fire department crew drove him home in one of the department’s fire engines Friday night.
“He was a great guy to work for,” said Drummey, “It’s sad to lose him, but we wish him well.”
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
