Every Saturday morning during the spring and summer, Fairfield firefighters help local Special Olympic athletes train for about an hour.
It’s a way for them to give back. Through that community service — that began more than 20 years ago behind the leadership of Capt. Jim Howell — a special bond has been born with one athlete, Duane Sparks, 50, a person with developmental disabilities. It’s only fitting that Sparks and the firefighters have formed a friendship because as a child Sparks was fascinated by the sounds of sirens and the sights of lights.
He was born to be a firefighter, Sparks said, but while that was impossible, he has been adopted by the Fairfield Fire Department, especially firefighters/paramedics Scott Goller and Rob Lance.