Miles
Well-known member
- Mar 18, 2019
- 2,455
- 0
Their work, of course, has not gone unnoticed.
On Monday, several Broncos players — Bradley Chubb, Melvin Gordon III, Dalton Risner, Tim Patrick, Austin Calitro, Josh Watson, McTelvin Agim and Derrek Tuszka — shared their appreciation directly with dozens of firefighters in the state, including Logston.
Each player had a reason for them to be there. For some, it was simply an appreciation for the work and their willingness to sacrifice to do it. The players even got a demonstration of that when one department's engine crew had to run off screen when they received a call midway through the conversation.
For others, there was also a personal connection. Tuszka's uncle is the chief of the volunteer fire department in the rookie's hometown in South Dakota. Two of Patrick's best friends became firefighters this year. One of Watson's former CSU teammates is a firefighter. Gordon and Calitro, as residents of California in the offseason, have seen how destructive fires can be in that state.
And as it so happens, one of Risner's childhood friends from Wiggins, Colorado, works at the Greeley Fire Department with Logston. Because of that, they have a natural connection to the Broncos. They are also Engine 5, Ladder 5, so they go by the nickname "Double Nickel" and have an autographed, framed Chubb jersey at the station.
"I've got to give a shoutout to the 'Double Nickel,'" Risner said. "I love you guys out there. … Big shoutout to you guys for what you do. And really a shoutout to everybody on here, every single firefighter. I've got a lot of respect for what you guys do, especially with the fires lately — but not just what you've done lately, what you guys continue to do every single day. I think it takes a lot of selfless people, so I really appreciate all of y'all."
Over the span of virtual get-together, the group swapped stories. Football players asked questions that piqued their interest about fighting fires, and the firefighters did the same, but about the recent win over the Chargers or how they take care of their bodies during the season.
One thing that they all could immediately and intrinsically understand through the nature of their jobs was the nature of teamwork and accountability in high-pressure situations.
"All of us have a job on the rig, whether it be an engine, a truck, an ambulance — it doesn't matter," one firefighter said. "We all have a job and we all come together as a group and complete whatever call we're going to. It's very similar to sports, very similar to what you guys do, I'd say."
The video call lasted an hour. Maybe that's not a long time in itself, but during a difficult time, the connection will undoubtedly last much longer.