Deputy fire chief leaves a legacy of safety and training
Gloucester Daily Times
August 22, 2005
By Janelle Randazza
Correspondent
Carl Ekborg never dreamed of becoming a firefighter but he felt like fate nudged him in that direction.
A third-generation Gloucester native, Ekborg grew up next to the Fitz Hugh Lane House and witnessed fires destroy much of his neighborhood during the 1950s.
It placed the vision of fires in the back of his mind.
In 1960, Ekborg joined the Navy and was trained in shipboard firefighting while stationed in Great Lakes, Ill., and Newport, R.I.; additional training in napalm firefighting followed when he was later stationed in Norfolk, Va.
"It was like someone said, 'This is what you are going to do with your life, and you're gonna like it,'" the 64-year-old said. "Well, I served the fire department for 39 years, and for 39 years the job was just sensational."
After a career that spanned five decades with the Gloucester Fire Department, Ekborg has retired as deputy fire chief to spend more time with his family.
Captain Miles Schlichte will succeed Ekborg as deputy. Private Tom LoGrande will fill Schlichte's shoes as captain.
Colleagues say Ekborg wanted to leave the department a better place than when he came to it. They described him as someone who never rested on his laurels, and he kept abreast of the newest technologies and fire prevention techniques.
He attended courses at the National Fire Academy in Washington, D.C., where he would learn from the best and brought that training back to Gloucester.
"Out of his love for the job he tried to improve the department, and the department is a better place today because of that," said Deputy Steven Aiello. "He tried to improve not the just the job, but the guys doing the job, until the last day. I really think that is his legacy."
However, Ekborg believes the department still has many struggles ahead. The recent closings of Bay View and Magnolia stations because of budget cutbacks have not helped.
"The loss of the stations has been horrendous," he said. "I never lost a firefighter in my career. You never want to have the feeling that you could have done better, and that is being taken away. The staffing and the training is becoming a huge issue. It seems like the city loves failure, but the fire department isn't a failure business. They only find money when there is a terrible failure rather than taking the necessary measures to prevent it. It is becoming more and more dangerous for the folks left behind."
Ekborg started his career in Gloucester in May 1966 and admitted that when he joined the department he didn't understand the nature of the beast.
"Years ago you put on the bare necessities and hoped to get a little bit of training before you went in there," Ekborg said. "It's not like they show it in the movies; it's pitch black in there, and you are down on your belly, listening for that child that is hiding or couldn't get out."
When asked if his early experiences motivated him to encourage the city to provide more training to new firemen, he said, "Any call can make a change in your life or how you view firefighting, but I never wanted to lose a firefighter, and training is the most important part of keeping them safe."
Ekborg said he is most proud of his Student Prevention for Fire Education program (S.A.F.E.) he started in Gloucester with Arthur Wonson.
Through S.A.F.E., Wonson and Ekborg taught fire prevention to students in the Gloucester school system.
"When you've seen enough, you realize that you want to be on the prevention end of it," Ekborg said. "Being in a reactive state only helps the problem after you already have it. The firefighter's union helped fund this to get it started. Then the state found funding from cigarette taxes to help pay for it."
Ekborg is described as a mentor, teacher and team builder and someone who contributed to the camaraderie of the fire department. Deputy Phil Dench, Joseph Misuraca and Jay Frontiero fondly recall Ekborg making fried dough for his team on Sundays.
"He was great that way," said Frontiero.
Ekborg has plans to visit Mt. Rushmore, Bryce Canyon and Yellowstone, help a friend finish a log cabin in Maine and see more of his family.
Both Ekborg and his wife, Virginia, believe community service is important, and Ekborg looks back on his career as an honor and a blessing to have been able to give back to the city of Gloucester.
"It's been a great 39 years," he said. "I've had a sensational job working for a city that I love. I've been with the same great woman for 42 years. I have great children that I've been able to bring up in a great city. From Day 1, God has smiled on me. I couldn't have written a better script than the one I got."
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Ekborg files
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Born: Gloucester, Dec. 5, 1940, 12 pounds
Fire dept. service: 39 years; Joined the department in May, 1966; in 1980 was promoted to captain; in 1983 was promoted to deputy fire chief and held that rank until he retired this summer
Family: Married 42 years to Virginia (Moses) Ekborg; four children and 10 grandchildren
Education: St. Ann's Parochial, Gloucester High School; Voted Class Clown, Class of 1959; North Shore Community College, associate degree; Fire Science Executive Fire Officer Program from the National Fire Academy
National service duty: Navy for four years with two years in the submarine reserves
Quote: "Carl always said that he wanted to leave the job better than it was when he came to it, and I think he did." Firefighter Jay Frontiero
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August 22, 2005
By Janelle Randazza
Correspondent
Carl Ekborg never dreamed of becoming a firefighter but he felt like fate nudged him in that direction.
A third-generation Gloucester native, Ekborg grew up next to the Fitz Hugh Lane House and witnessed fires destroy much of his neighborhood during the 1950s.
It placed the vision of fires in the back of his mind.
In 1960, Ekborg joined the Navy and was trained in shipboard firefighting while stationed in Great Lakes, Ill., and Newport, R.I.; additional training in napalm firefighting followed when he was later stationed in Norfolk, Va.
"It was like someone said, 'This is what you are going to do with your life, and you're gonna like it,'" the 64-year-old said. "Well, I served the fire department for 39 years, and for 39 years the job was just sensational."
After a career that spanned five decades with the Gloucester Fire Department, Ekborg has retired as deputy fire chief to spend more time with his family.
Captain Miles Schlichte will succeed Ekborg as deputy. Private Tom LoGrande will fill Schlichte's shoes as captain.
Colleagues say Ekborg wanted to leave the department a better place than when he came to it. They described him as someone who never rested on his laurels, and he kept abreast of the newest technologies and fire prevention techniques.
He attended courses at the National Fire Academy in Washington, D.C., where he would learn from the best and brought that training back to Gloucester.
"Out of his love for the job he tried to improve the department, and the department is a better place today because of that," said Deputy Steven Aiello. "He tried to improve not the just the job, but the guys doing the job, until the last day. I really think that is his legacy."
However, Ekborg believes the department still has many struggles ahead. The recent closings of Bay View and Magnolia stations because of budget cutbacks have not helped.
"The loss of the stations has been horrendous," he said. "I never lost a firefighter in my career. You never want to have the feeling that you could have done better, and that is being taken away. The staffing and the training is becoming a huge issue. It seems like the city loves failure, but the fire department isn't a failure business. They only find money when there is a terrible failure rather than taking the necessary measures to prevent it. It is becoming more and more dangerous for the folks left behind."
Ekborg started his career in Gloucester in May 1966 and admitted that when he joined the department he didn't understand the nature of the beast.
"Years ago you put on the bare necessities and hoped to get a little bit of training before you went in there," Ekborg said. "It's not like they show it in the movies; it's pitch black in there, and you are down on your belly, listening for that child that is hiding or couldn't get out."
When asked if his early experiences motivated him to encourage the city to provide more training to new firemen, he said, "Any call can make a change in your life or how you view firefighting, but I never wanted to lose a firefighter, and training is the most important part of keeping them safe."
Ekborg said he is most proud of his Student Prevention for Fire Education program (S.A.F.E.) he started in Gloucester with Arthur Wonson.
Through S.A.F.E., Wonson and Ekborg taught fire prevention to students in the Gloucester school system.
"When you've seen enough, you realize that you want to be on the prevention end of it," Ekborg said. "Being in a reactive state only helps the problem after you already have it. The firefighter's union helped fund this to get it started. Then the state found funding from cigarette taxes to help pay for it."
Ekborg is described as a mentor, teacher and team builder and someone who contributed to the camaraderie of the fire department. Deputy Phil Dench, Joseph Misuraca and Jay Frontiero fondly recall Ekborg making fried dough for his team on Sundays.
"He was great that way," said Frontiero.
Ekborg has plans to visit Mt. Rushmore, Bryce Canyon and Yellowstone, help a friend finish a log cabin in Maine and see more of his family.
Both Ekborg and his wife, Virginia, believe community service is important, and Ekborg looks back on his career as an honor and a blessing to have been able to give back to the city of Gloucester.
"It's been a great 39 years," he said. "I've had a sensational job working for a city that I love. I've been with the same great woman for 42 years. I have great children that I've been able to bring up in a great city. From Day 1, God has smiled on me. I couldn't have written a better script than the one I got."
---------------------------------------------
Ekborg files
---------------------------------------------
Born: Gloucester, Dec. 5, 1940, 12 pounds
Fire dept. service: 39 years; Joined the department in May, 1966; in 1980 was promoted to captain; in 1983 was promoted to deputy fire chief and held that rank until he retired this summer
Family: Married 42 years to Virginia (Moses) Ekborg; four children and 10 grandchildren
Education: St. Ann's Parochial, Gloucester High School; Voted Class Clown, Class of 1959; North Shore Community College, associate degree; Fire Science Executive Fire Officer Program from the National Fire Academy
National service duty: Navy for four years with two years in the submarine reserves
Quote: "Carl always said that he wanted to leave the job better than it was when he came to it, and I think he did." Firefighter Jay Frontiero
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posted by Janelle at 12:46 PM
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