Pipes and Drums

Have you ever started something that became something bigger and more important than you imagined it ever would be?

Andre has been playing the bagpipes downtown all day to a large crowd of people, including the Police Chief. This little firefighter bagpipe band that started with just a handful of people, taking lessons, selling baked goods is now...how do I explain this? Its amazing.

Through their own hard work they started a nonprofit band to bring together firefighters, police, and EMS. You may not realize this, but in some places there is a huge division between those services. In fact, there are stories of knock-out, drag-down fights--and so this unified group is quite significant. The band has grown to about 30 members--all emergency service men and women.

What's more, is the importance that it has for our community. The public is interacting with them in an approachable, non-traumatic, friendly way. At the end of their set, they'll tell the crowd about the service men and women who have lost their lives saving others and then play Amazing Grace. Its such a moving song, especially with several bagpipes and drums playing in unison. Everyone in the crowd will raise their glass as a show of respect. I've seen grown men tear up. People are truly moved and visibly recognize the sacrifice that is made for the good of all people. For a job that is often so thankless, you can see people honor them, appreciate them, value them.

As a community it is crucial to have a good relationship between the public and the emergency service persons. It makes the public safer. It decreases violence in the community. It makes the emergency service persons safer too. All of this they've done, and they're a damn good band too.

This is the band playing for 911 this past year at City Hall.