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06/14/2017 08:30 AMAfter seeing the events of Sept. 11, 2001 when he was in the 10th Grade, Robert “Bobby” Santora became inspired to become a volunteer firefighter.
“Seeing the firefighters on TV, and watching them go through everything that they went through, it kind of inspired me to join,” Bobby says.
Bobby, now captain of North Haven Fire Department Northeast Company 4, says it’s rewarding to give back in many different ways to the town in which he works and lives.
Bobby initially joined as early as he could, becoming a junior member at age 16. He became a full-fledged volunteer firefighter at 18.
Bobby says one of the things that inspired him to join was the selflessness of the firefighters he saw. He says people are needed to help others when other people are in trouble.
“Even if it’s just a small scale event, in comparison to [9/11], being able to help people through that is very rewarding,” Bobby says.
One thing he says people may not realize is that volunteers may have to leave their jobs, as Bobby has done, or their homes late at night to respond to a call.
“We could have a call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so that could be at Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving dinner, it could be at two in the morning during a snowstorm; anytime,” Bobby says, “We leave our personal life, or work life, to be here.”
Being a firefighter can be difficult at times, and Bobby says he often tends to see people at their worst. If he responds to a fire call, he says he may see people in their pajamas, and have to go through their most private places, such as their bedrooms, to get them the help that they need.
“They’re trusting us, complete strangers, to go into that area and make things OK for them,” Bobby says, “So to see the gratitude that they have and the trust they put into us to do that, that in itself is rewarding. If we could stop a bad situation from getting any worse, that’s rewarding.”
Bobby says that a volunteer firefighter can see a lot of bad things, and that can become depressing, so the firefighters try to offset the bad by doing other good things. Bobby says that the firefighters will have toy drives, food drives, and “touch-a-truck” events for kids during the summertime.
Other events that Bobby highlighted include a state convention, which Bobby says is good because it allows himself and other firefighters meet other firefighters from around the state and share stories, and fire safety week in October, where they go around to schools and teach kids about fire safety.
He says that a few years back, he was a part of a smoke alarm distribution event, where the firefighters went around to every single resident in town and asked if they had a smoke detector, and if they didn’t, they were given one.
“That was a huge boost for us because it was a way for us to connect with our community, and meet literally everybody, and let them know that we’re here and we’re here to help and we want to make sure they’re protected,” Bobby says.
One reason why Bobby likes volunteers is that volunteers do something else all day. He says there is a broad spectrum of backgrounds among his fellow volunteers, including electricians, plumbers, finance professionals, and even a physicist.
“All of those outside skills have something to offer, so we’re very versatile in that regard,” Bobby says.
Bobby works in manufacturing, and owns his own company called United Manufacturing Solutions. His grandfather began the business in the 1960s, and Bobby took it over from his father and has been the owner for about eight years. The company does manufacturing work for major aerospace companies in the area.
While Bobby says that career firefighters in town do a very a good job, he would not become one, as his passion is in his manufacturing business.
“Firefighting is a way for me to give back to the community and connect with other people,” Bobby says, “I consider everyone here a part of my extended family, and that’s something I really take to heart.”
Bobby says it’s a good feeling to give back to the town he works and lives in, and says that after almost every call he gets, people are thankful and appreciative. He would also like to thank his fellow firefighters, and says he wouldn’t be where he is today without them.
“My success is only because of the people surrounding me,” Bobby says, “The guys here are phenomenal as far as I’m concerned and I trust every single one of them with my life, and I mean that sincerely.”