The Meet Hope Podcast
The Meet Hope Podcast
106: Encounter Advent 4 - Jesus is the Lamb of God
In this special series for Advent called, "Encounter Loves Pure Light," we're here to guide you through the season with a fresh perspective and creative reflection. Join us this week as we talk with Battalion Chief George Read. What drives someone to run towards danger when others run away? Growing up in a family devoted to firefighting, George shares how his father and godfather's unwavering dedication laid the foundation for his own journey of service. Through captivating stories and the moments that cemented his calling, we explore how first responders' selfless work give us a glimpse at the sacrificial love and rescue symbolized by Jesus during the Advent season.
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Welcome to the Meet Hope Podcast, where we have conversations about faith and hope. Hope is one church made of people living out their faith through two expressions in person and online. We believe a hybrid faith experience can lead to a growing influence in our community and our world for the sake of others. Welcome to Hope. Our world for the sake of others. Welcome to.
Speaker 2:Hope. Hello and welcome to the Meet Hope podcast. We are in week four of our Advent encounter, and we're talking specifically about who Jesus is this Advent season. This week we'll be talking about Jesus is the Lamb of God, and that role in our lives is one of rescue, it is one of saving, it is one of running literally headfirst into death because of his love for us, and so we thought it might be interesting to talk to some people who choose saving as a career, who choose to run headfirst into danger on a regular basis, and so with me today I have Battalion Chief George Reed. Hello, george.
Speaker 3:Hello, how are you?
Speaker 2:Good, how are you? So, before we get too into things, tell me a little bit first about you.
Speaker 3:So yeah, so I grew up in the fire service family members, my father being one of my biggest mentors, actually just with cooking, with my culinary career and my fire career as well. But I had many of uncles. Actually, I got to work with one of my godfathers, which was really cool.
Speaker 2:That's awesome.
Speaker 3:I actually got to work with my uncle on a three-alarm fire. We actually got to work on a division together. It was on the Black Horse Pike, the Hojo Infire. So it was a cool experience. So, like I said, I grew up around that environment so it kind of was just very natural to obviously go into that career path. And it was pretty cool because my dad was a volunteer.
Speaker 3:He was a life member with Ashland, hence I'm wearing the shirt in his memory and after everything happened with his passing and everything like that, I kind of now realize how much of a role model he was. He really was and he was one of those quiet guys. He was a quiet role model. So I just wanted to kind of give that shout out.
Speaker 2:Lived his life by example for you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it was funny cause he was, you know, he always did that and, uh, I grew we actually literally grew up um right down the street from the firehouse that he ran in, um, which was in in where he's no longer existed through due to consolidation, um, but he was a pretty big deal back in the day where they were, like you know, considered heavy hitters. They went all around, they got special called and were on all types of responses in the area. So you grew up hearing about it and seeing it firsthand, like I grew up in the firehouse and, like you know, come to fruition then down the road and everything like that. Some of those guys that saw me as a kid were now my boss, yeah.
Speaker 3:So it was, uh, and there was that, that there was like that mutual respect. Like so the new guy? Um coming in. It was a lot easier Cause I like I listened, I'm the, I'm the new guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like no big deal, um, but they like, they remember they also knew you've been around it for a long time, so it's the same thing now.
Speaker 3:Like when I got hired, there was kids that one of the fireman's sons were like five years old. And now he's working and I'm like oh my God, it's full circle.
Speaker 2:I feel old, I'm that guy, I feel that you know as that.
Speaker 3:So it's a. You know it's a big circle of that, but yeah, in like 2002, I went to culinary school and fire school at the same time.
Speaker 2:Wow, that was a busy year.
Speaker 3:Busy time, yeah, and I was working. I actually got a job. In the beginning I took an internship at Renault Winery, but then I started working at Chop House. So I was working, going to culinary school, school and going to fire school on the weekends, um, and it was uh. And then working nights in the weekends, um, for for at the restaurant, um, so that was a good time and paid my way through, paid my way through college.
Speaker 3:Um, so yeah and uh, I also like, when I went to fire school, I actually joined a Gisboro fire company. Um, lots of good individuals there. I actually joined a Gisboro fire company. Lots of good individuals there, A lot of mentors. There was a fire captain from. Camden. A fireman from Camden, my, my godfather was a firefighter there, so they got a lot of good guys a guy from UCM now he's a Lieutenant Cherry Hill and that my first fire was right behind the Dunkin' Donuts in Gibbsboro.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:It was a balloon frame. It was like right around Christmas time and uh, that kind of. I was like, wow, this is legit, this is it. Yeah, so it was a balloon frame. Uh, it started in the basement and that's unimpeded. It's an older style home unimpeded. Uh, stud bays and I'll home unimpeded, uh straight up bays and that fire just went right, right through the whole house. I was like, oh my gosh, so it you know it uh opened my eyes and I was like, wow, this is pretty cool, like not.
Speaker 2:like you know, you don't wish anything, but I was like this was interesting. This is like you know, you were in the right place.
Speaker 3:Adrenaline Um and to try to help.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean, and we're already coming in behind the eight ball yeah. So to try to remediate and make things better. Yeah, that's kind of like I was like oh, this is legit. This is what I want to do, I'm in the right place. What's your kindergarten teacher say? You know, find something you like and go get paid for it.
Speaker 2:Go get paid for it, yeah, so Go get paid for it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so worked in a couple restaurants in that time period and actually in 2005, started my own catering company for 10 years.
Speaker 2:I did not know that. You didn't know any of this.
Speaker 3:I rolled into that, and then, at that same time, I joined the forest fire service too.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:So career battalion chief now. Then I joined the forest fire service with C11 and uh currently hold the the rank of um district warden. Okay, um, so, um, that's the highest position before there's a full-time, which is a section warden, and then so on and so forth. Okay, so I joined there and then during that time, obviously going to college, got multiple degrees actually Got the degree in culinary arts and then a couple of degrees business management threw in, and then two in fire science, technology and administration. So what I'm hearing is you like to be busy? Business management threw in, and then two in fire science, technology and administrative administration.
Speaker 2:So what I'm hearing, is you like to be busy?
Speaker 3:Yeah, not anymore, but not anymore except that you have a wife and two kids. So you're still very busy, it's just different busy. Yeah, that's different. Yeah, it's a different business.
Speaker 2:Your time is still full, yeah.
Speaker 3:I was single at the time, with no kids. So, um, I knew at that point like now it's the time to get all those classes.
Speaker 2:You had the time you could do it get those like and then going into it.
Speaker 3:in 2008 I got hired um full time and I had all the the classes and and most of the stuff that was required um for, so I kind of was ahead of the game.
Speaker 2:Yeah, cause lots of people join it and, I would imagine, take as they go.
Speaker 3:And, and you know it was, it was an interesting thing when the probie, the new kid, is teaching.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Some of the older guys have been there, but they don't have either the specialty backgrounds or the educational purposes for that.
Speaker 3:So it was. It was a cool thing. I really enjoyed it. And then, as the years go on, you know, I got to see a lot and do a lot. I was very lucky and I don't want to say lucky, but I had the amazing opportunities to go and get deployed out of state and go on different assignments. It was a really cool experience. I mean, I don't know if you'd even say cool either, but it was a crazy experience, to say the least, because in 2006, I got deployed to Idaho on the South Fork Fire, like right north of Boise, and I thought potatoes right.
Speaker 2:So there's no.
Speaker 3:Razorback mountains and that was it. But yeah, so we actually protected a small town. It was really cool.
Speaker 2:That's awesome.
Speaker 3:It was. It was an interesting thing because, yeah, things didn't fare well for everybody on that fire. We did, we did actually it was a well for everybody on that fire. We did actually lose a couple firefighters on that fire. But you know we're there to you know, do the job and protect, and sometimes unfortunate things that they happen.
Speaker 2:I would imagine that's got to be a really difficult thing, though, to be running in with your you know fellow fighters and to know the reality of the situation you're running into.
Speaker 3:There's. There's a couple of moments that were eyeopening. Um, not that like, oh, this is not for me. Um just absolutely love the job and love enjoying doing it, um, and helping people, and especially when there's good outcomes um so there's the good.
Speaker 3:You know always a way is the bad um, but you know you have to in in this, in this type of job, you gotta yeah be, be ready for that, for bad outcomes, and and understand, like sometimes it's out of your control, it's not in your hands, like what was done was done yeah, it makes me think of, um, mr rogers, who we all know.
Speaker 2:You was a Presbyterian pastor, but he, one of the things he used to say is in the face of tragedy, look for the helpers. Right, and so there is tragedy there, but there are people who are rising up and, you know, our first responders are so often those people that we can look to, so thank you, are so often those people that we can look to, so thank you. And to those like you for for being willing to serve and rush into hard, um, and often life-threatening situations. But, um, it does make me think of of him, of Mr Rogers, and and uh, and that kind of mentality, and I have to wonder too. I mean one of the things you said that that caught me.
Speaker 2:You talked about growing up in the firehouse and you talked about it being something that was just passed down, and it made me think of the time that and we hear in the Bible of when Mary and Joseph lost Jesus. Right, he's like 13. They can't find him anyway. They're halfway home, thinking he's with friends and they realize, like none of us have him. He's gone Like where the heck did Jesus go? Right, and he's in the temple. Right, he's sitting back with the rabbis, learning, teaching, talking. I had this image of you following your dad around the fire station, this just being where you are home and who you were meant to be.
Speaker 3:It's crazy because I can still have those smells, you know like smells like raise your memories and stuff like that. Yeah, and it felt right. You know what I mean. So, yeah, and I just you know it felt right. Yeah, you know what I mean Like it just felt like. And again, you know, all kids have like fire trucks, sure, and I just you know that was always like the case in our household, so it was just a cool thing to go to that fire, you know.
Speaker 3:Yes, that fire, you know to join like a you know, and then get hired. And then, um, like, just like, uh, the other day, uh, my like my old captain showed up on the the you know if, if everyone knows, there's a bunch of brush fires recently. Um, pretty much all New Jersey was burning. Um, so he showed up and he's like, I'm so glad to see you, like you know, reminiscing and stuff like that you know, and and busting chops. Obviously you know, um, but uh, it's just cool that he like showed up and uh, like some of those guys show up to have coffee and stuff like that and what that tells me is the community you guys build is so critical.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's so critical, yeah, that those relationships are like nothing else. Yeah, yeah, cause those are the people that have run into those hard times and had your back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's, it was cool, it's, it's, it's. It's nice to see some of those guys, and even some guys like uh live out of state, um, and when he comes back, which you know, I've known them since I was born, yeah, forever. Yeah. So it's just nice to see them and then talk, and I'm like, hey, come to the firehouse, talk to the guys too. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:They want to see you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, bring that.
Speaker 2:Energy, yeah that wisdom.
Speaker 3:Because now, like you know, it's 20, 22 years into it now and I'm like all right.
Speaker 2:Well, I know, for us it's so encouraging to know like, hey, you're going to survive, you will make it through, it's okay, yeah, there's life after right, and you can push through the hard stuff because it's going to be okay. Um, and that's so encouraging, I love that. And it's again. You know, when we look at who Jesus is, we look at the fact that everything he did, he did in community, right, like he traveled with people who were experiencing those same things. They were in the thick of it. Right, they were running from the Romans, they were being persecuted, they were watching him heal miraculously, they were expanding their whole horizons because they didn't want to go to Samaritan. They didn't hang, or Samaria, they didn't hang out with those people, so to speak. And you know, jesus just blew their brains in terms of, no, we're going to think about this differently, I'm going to blow your minds. But that community became invaluable to all of them and they became bonded in that.
Speaker 3:And that's a big thing for us. I mean, you know, I know it's tough, the some of the guys with some of the things, because especially this time of year, we're doing. You've got a lot of christmas tree lighting between calls and stuff like that. So there's all these little things going on too, plus, plus the calls right so, like like two shifts ago it was, it was, it was insane.
Speaker 3:It like literally was like and we work, the firefighters work, work 24-hour shifts most of them, and so, yeah, it was run all day doing training. One of our new trucks came in, so we're working on that and trickle calls coming in, calls coming in and then you know, fast forward handling some other issues, and then 1 o'clock in the morning we get a commercial vehicle fire and it's like probably one of the coldest nights that.
Speaker 2:I can recall.
Speaker 3:And literally got back to the firehouse. It took an hour to thaw my hands and bleed out, but again it's just like and then, five o'clock, another problem occurs. You know what I mean. So it's a busy time of year and then just being in the community on top of that, you know, trying to have a positive smile. Put a smile on the face you know, and and make kids nights, you know driving santa claus around or bringing them to to hope here.
Speaker 3:yeah, so yeah, no, and it's such a a positive I wanted to get on, that is, it was such a positive change Cause, uh, you know, I was brought up Catholic and and and, um one year went to a Christmas Eve mass and it was so negative and it was negatively ran and, um, I was like this is not like I'm tired, I'm busy, yeah, I'm working, I'm doing stuff, I'm going to school and, and I just want to have a.
Speaker 3:I need to know that Jesus loves me, and I'm trying here, yeah, um uh, so me and the wife, um, we came here and it was such a positive environment that you know kids went to school here yeah you know, we ever, we try every sunday, but obviously you know how life can be.
Speaker 2:You guys are here a lot, so yes, you work hard.
Speaker 3:Working some Sundays right, but just a positive environment. And that's why I'm here today to talk to you and also just to express what a great warm feeling it is to be here. And then you know, obviously knowing a lot of people here too, definitely makes it a fun experience and be here. And then you know, obviously you know, knowing a lot of people here too it does definitely makes it a fun, a fun experience and time here.
Speaker 2:So Well, thank you, george, and thank you so much for sharing with us and it. I appreciate that. I appreciate what you and your fellow firefighters and EMS workers do on a regular basis Of course, our police as well. It is a hard and thankless job and and we do value greatly the gift that you give every time you go into a shift and, yeah, and we are so glad that you're here personally, a part of our community and you and Amanda and the kids. It's a blessing whenever we get to see you. And I want to encourage any of our listeners if you are looking for a place to be this holiday season, looking for companionship, reason or just the warmth of a great Christmas service, we do hope that you will join us on Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve Eve December 23rd. You can find all the times and details on meethopeorg slash today.
Speaker 1:Thanks for being a part of the Hope community. The times and details on meethopeorg slash today.