“I stood in the yard, and I watched all these guys risking their lives to save my house and our stuff,” Garrett said. “As a 15-year-old, I thought that is just so freaking awesome. I want to do that.”
Garrett entered volunteer fire service the next year, the start of a 32-year fire and paramedic career with 23 of those years in Homewood. Now a lieutenant, Garrett is one of two senior members of the department who retired at the end of June. The second is Battalion Chief Mike Anastasia, whose 42-year career also started in volunteer service and culminated in 36 years with Homewood Fire Department.
“It’s going to be a hole left for a while until we can figure out how to fill it,” Fire Marshal Nick Hill said.
Garrett and Anastasia received their last call — a ceremonial announcement of their last shift, made over the dispatch radio — on June 29.