GFD family loses 28-year veteran Carrico
Greencastle firefighters are grieving the loss of one of their own this week with the sudden passing of Engineer Patrick "Pat" Carrico.
A 28-year veteran of the department, Carrico died on Sunday, Dec. 15. He was on the verge of retirement, having worked his last day on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
The 54-year-old's death came as a jolt to his fellow firefighters.
"It was a big time shock," GFD Chief Bill Newgent said. "His doctors were very optimistic."
Hired on Nov. 1, 1985, Carrico spent much of his time with the GFD in a supervisory role, rising as high as the rank of captain. At the time of his death, Carrico was an engineer.
Newgent said Chaplain Donnie Watson has been instrumental in helping firefighters deal with their loss, supporting the firefighters as they support one another.
The chief said the department also conducted a Monday morning meeting, which served as a time to share feelings and memories of Carrico.
"Obviously, we're all going through that phase right now," Newgent said. "We're all leaning on one another and talking."
As the firefighters share stories, a pretty consistent picture begins to take shape of Carrico as a dedicated, helpful veteran who served as a mentor for the men and women who worked with him.
"He was really knowledgeable about everything in here," firefighter Jeff Elkins said. "If anybody wanted to know something, he'd get it out and show them, then make them do it."
This helpfulness knew no bounds, whether it was in the station at 11 p.m. or on the scene of a fire. The consistent factor was, however, other firefighters had to ask for help.
"Pat said many times, 'If you want to know, ask me. If you don't, I'm not telling,'" Watson recalled. "'I'll tell you everything I know about this job but you have to ask. I figure if you ask, you want to know. Otherwise I'm wasting my time and yours.'"
Roy Bumgardner and Bob Campbell, who spent a number of years with Carrico as their shift captain, said the same.
"If you didn't know something, don't beat round the bush because Pat was going to know," Bumgardner said.
Campbell remembered having trouble with his truck at the downtown fire last May. He called Carrico over, and the elder engineer came over to lend his expertise.
"He was always a good person to go to for troubleshooting," Campbell said. "He came over and figured it out"
Far from simply leading and mentoring young firefighters, Carrico also helped bring along new leaders in the department. For the last several years, Carrico, Jeff Elkins and John Burgess have worked on the same shift.
All three men have served as captains on the department at some point, with Elkins and Burgess recalling the guidance they received from Carrico upon being promoted.
"When I first became captain," Elkins said, "I was fortunate that Pat stepped down as captain and was on my shift. Having him as my engineer was a great benefit to me."
Burgess had a similar experience.
"When he stepped down and became an engineer and I became a captain, we had quite a few conversations," Burgess said.
But for all of Carrico's comrades, the conversations went well beyond firefighting.
"We spent quite a few evenings sitting or standing out in back of the station just talking," Burgess said. "If you had any problems, he'd gladly sit there and listen."
Carrico seemed to simply have the right disposition for this kind of work. Knowing the long hours they spend together, he found a way to make the best of it.
"Pat said, when you get married, you pick your wife. Here (at the firehouse) it's like you're married, but you don't get to pick," Bumgardner said.
The loss of a co-worker is especially profound for firefighters, who become more like family through not only working, but living together.
"The guys are very, very close," Newgent said. "They spend a third of their life together here. It's a very big part of their life and a very big part of their family."
Bumgardner put the time spent together in clear perspective.
"It's probably going to take many years at home with my wife to catch up with the time I spent with Pat," Bumgardner said.
"It's kind of hard to explain, but it is a big family," Newgent said.
Carrico's full obituary can be viewed here.
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