Photo by Andy McEvoy

Chuck Crimmins’ funeral procession just passed down Main Street and I felt the need to capture it.

I worked with Chuck for a number of years in the LFFD. Chuck was a mentor, an Assistant Chief, and a friend. Chuck was one of those people that made doing the “job” enjoyable. He always had your back.

My first “on duty” structure fire was with Chuck back in the ’80s. I was driving Engine 112 and Chuck was my Officer riding shotgun. We had a 5-minute ride to Lower Paradise Rd and could see the flames almost a mile away. Chuck calmly explained what he wanted me to do on arrival and it made everything go a lot more smoothly. At 2 am you always fear the worst and being a newbie, you are nervous as can be. Chuck always had that calm demeanor regardless of the situation.

When working 24-hour shifts it wasn’t uncommon for us to stay up all night in the warm weather with the doors open sitting in the doorway drinking coffee, waiting for the phone to ring. Dan Dee Donuts had the coffee on round the clock. Chuck knew so many people that about every other car that went by the station would beep, wave or stop and chat.

Some nights there would be a half dozen or more people sitting there with us like off-duty guys, police, guys from other departments, and friends. Chuck could spin some good yarns and embellish on the facts to make it feel like you were there when it happened. Seriously! And if it looked like I wasn’t buying it, I’d get the look from him over the top of his glasses and he would explain deeper so I knew it was a fact.

He had lots of good stories. It never got old. I thank Chuck for the good memories.

The one thing that stands out in my memories of Chuck above all else is the way he loved his family. At the time it was his “little” girls that were there to visit with him every shift. You could always see how happy and proud he was of them. It was heartwarming.

When the procession went by, my brain started recalling the good times working with Chuck. I felt his memory is worthy of a picture. I cropped it with City Hall in the view since he spent so many years there. It just seemed appropriate.

Andy McEvoy
Little Falls NY

Final Call for Charles J. “Chuck” Crimmins