My grandfather, Joe Salerno, turned 93 this month and was once the assistant fire marshal for the Cicero Fire Department. He worked there for many years, and as kids, we grew up in the firehouse. We used to visit the firefighters and even named some of the trucks when we were young. Here are some old black-and-white photos that capture those moments.
I have newspaper clippings with pictures that describe the fires he helped fight. My grandfather started his career in Cicero in 1954 and became assistant fire marshal in 1977. He saved many lives, including a baby who was thrown down to him from a third-floor building engulfed in flames. Even at 93, he still tells stories about his days on the job as if they happened yesterday. We all remember the firefighters from different stations; we literally grew up in their houses. Unfortunately, most of them have passed away, and now he's the last one left. Though he’s still active and drives, I know his time is limited—especially after losing his wife last year at 92, after 70 years of marriage. He’s alone now, and his days are quiet, but he lights up when talking about his firefighting days.
A World War II veteran, he served in the Pacific during the time the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. After saving so many lives in Cicero, I hope to show him that he has left a lasting legacy. I believe that as we grow older, we often forget how much our lives have impacted others. I’d love for his story and these photos to be added to a website so future generations can see what he did. It would mean a lot to us to show him how much he meant to others. I’ll send any photos I have for the site. On Christmas, I showed him your website, and we found the fire stations where he was stationed. We saw the same trucks we took pictures of when we were kids—each of us had our own truck at the station. The firefighters were like a second family. He was really excited to see the photos on your site, so I’m hoping to add more to it since the Cicero Fire Department archive hasn’t responded to us yet.
Bob
Cicero Firefighter Joseph Salerno
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