Director of Administration and Public Safety James Vartanian doesn’t have a background as a firefighter, but as he’s rode along with members of the Pawtucket Fire Department over the past few months, he’s been wowed by what he’s seen.
“I haven’t had such an honor or a privilege as I have serving among these men. Your firefighters … are second to none across the state. They’re incredible,” Vartanian said on Friday afternoon. “What they do each and every day astonishes me.”
“This is not just a job for them, it’s a way of life,” he continued. “It’s not just something you do, it’s something you become. It defines you. After today, you will be defined forever as a firefighter, that’s who you’ll be. You’ll take it with you every day when you go home.”