Community Corner

Area Emergency Personnel Rallying To Support New London Firefighter

Go Bald For A Brother taking place on Saturday in Montville to raise funds for Brendan McGuirk, who is fighting cancer for the third time

By Dirk Langeveld

For the fourth year, firefighters from around eastern Connecticut are rallying to help support a fellow emergency responder as he copes with cancer. 

Go Bald for a Brother will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Mohegan Fire Department. Modeled after the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraisers, firefighters and other volunteers will have their heads shaved as a show of support for New London firefighter Brendan McGuirk. The day will also include raffles, music from the band Flipsiderocks, and food from the Rolling Tomato.

The benefit began in 2010 to raise funds for Todd Williamson, a firefighter and EMT who worked for the Mohegan Tribal Fire Department before transferring to the Poquonnock Bridge Fire Department. Williamson also worked for Mystic River Ambulance and the Groton Ambulance Association and volunteered at several other departments. He died of cancer on July 7, 2010, at the age of 30. 

“Todd was one of those guys who always worked to help out anyone he could,” said Frank Geer, a firefighter and EMT at the Mohegan Tribal Fire Department. “If you didn’t like Todd there was something wrong with you.” 

Geer said the fundraiser has helped keep Williamson’s memory alive, as Williamson said he wanted the event to keep going to support other firefighters suffering from cancer. Geer works with firefighting organizations around the county to find a firefighter, paramedic, or dispatcher with the disease. He then coordinates with a member of the department as well as the Eastern Connecticut Emerald Society to organize the event. 

Geer said local businesses donate services and firefighters collect donations or pledges toward getting their heads shaved. Between 50 and 70 firefighters are shorn each year at the event, and the event has raised between $6,300 and $7,000 for the recipient to put toward medical bills and other expenses. 

Lt. Joe Hancock of the New London Fire Department said McGuirk began volunteering with the department in 1968 before leaving to serve in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He returned in the early 1970s as a full-time firefighter and has been with the department for more than 30 years. 

McGuirk has previously overcome bouts with liver cancer and thyroid cancer. Last fall, he was treated for kidney stones; when the pain continued, an MRI revealed that he had spinal cancer. Members of the department have been donating vacation time to McGuirk since the diagnosis. 

“He’s salt of the earth. He’s one of the best,” said Hancock. “I miss working with him. I miss his laugh and his corny jokes at work. He’s a senior guy, so a lot of the guys look up to him to hear the stories about how the department used to be.” 

Hancock said McGuirk is a devout Catholic who has typically worked two or three jobs at a time. He said about eight or nine members of the NLFD will get their heads shaved and that more will help with fundraising. 

“A lot of us are bald. We can’t grow a hair to get our heads shaved for it,” he joked. 

Geer said the event allows firefighters to reconnect with people in other departments. 

“We don’t work with them on a regular basis, but everyone kind of knows everyone in this area,” he said. “It’s a small community of firefighters.” 

He said the event has introduced new elements each year. This year, the Emerald Society has created a challenge coin in memory of Williamson. The event will also feature T-shirts honoring the other people helped by the benefit: Electric Boat firefighter Scott DeWolf and EMT and Oswegatchie Fire Department volunteer John Fratus.

People can participate by getting in touch with Frank Geer at 860-213-0224 or fgeer@moheganmail.com, Ben Ragsdale at 860-857-6480 or b_ragsdale@hotmail.com, or Joe Hancock at 860-460-0417 or fdnl18@yahoo.com. Checks can be made out to the Eastern CT Emerald Society.



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