221. You Never Know the Power of a Good Cup of Coffee - Joe Minehan

The fire service is hard enough when you first enter the door and realize there's so much to learn. An overwhelming feeling sets in as you try to comprehend the intricacies of the job. Compound that times four... when Joe Minehan walked through the doors on his first day, it took him a solid 10 years to figure out his place in the Boston Fire Department. As a forth generation firefighter, following in the giant footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather was no easy task. Legacy has its' privileges', however, finding your place and role within the organization while trying to stake your claim to the individual you want to be is a tall order. Today, Joe Minehan is a District Chief within the Boston Fire Department. His passion and love of the job is an everyday routine. He doesn't take the job for granted like he did during his younger years. He has found his way in conjunction with the precedent set forth by the previous Minehan generations. So much triumph and tragedy within his family's legacy; from his Father's LODD on 6/24/94 to his Grandfather's first fire being at the Coconut Grove fire and his Great-Grandfather retiring as a District Chief. All of this compounded with incredible mentors allowed Joe to find his way. An unconditional love for the job, Joe continues to be a student of the fire service while teaching those around him about RIT and firefighter survival. So much history and experience is wrapped up inside of Joe Minehan, so look for another episode with him very soon.