Swampscott firefighters support troops

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ITEM PHOTO / OWEN O’ROURKE Swampscott firefighters wore red shirts to show support for the troops on Friday. From left, Ed Seligman, Bill Hyde, Kevin Breen, Tony Barbuzzi, Brain Crescenzo, Lieutenant Bobby Pickett, Bobby Surette and Tim Sweeney.

Swampscott firefighters support troops

By Debra Glidden/The Daily Item

SWAMPSCOTT-Firefighters on Friday donned red shirts as part of an initiative to show their support for U.S. troops serving overseas.

Firefighters Union President William Hyde explained “Red Friday” is a program started by the International Association of Firefighters that is picking up momentum in the United States and Canada.

All members of the department were sporting red t-shirts with the Swampscott Fire Department logo and “support Our Troops” emblazoned on them Friday.

“Everybody in today is wearing them,” he said. “The Chief (Richard Carmody) is wearing one under his shirt and you can see it peeking through.”

Veterans Agent James Schultz said he is pleased the fire department is participating in the program.

“I’ve heard of it being done in other places, but not here on the North Shore,” he said. “I think it’s awesome our guys picked it up to show support for the troops.”

The red t-shirts, which have an American flag on the right shoulder, are also for sale to the general public. Hyde said the shirts, which can be purchased at the fire station, are $10 each and come in size small through XXXL. He said profit from the sale of the t-shirts would be used to send care packages to Swampscott troops overseas and for the Wounded Warrior project.

“The Union took a vote at a union meeting and decided to try to get people wearing the shirts around town,” he said. “We already have a couple of people wearing them at the high school.”

Hyde said the program should not be construed as a political statement or firefighters taking a stand on the war.

“It is in support of United States troops serving our county in overseas conflicts,” he said. “We are showing our support for the men and women that are overseas in harms way fighting for the freedom that we all experience everyday here at home.”