When does the majority move beyond tolerate?

When does tolerating change become acceptance of change? That is a question I have been trying to answer for quite some time. Why? Because in that respect it appears to me to be three steps forward and two steps back. I have been reminiscing as of late.

I look back to 1995, February 14. Three firefighters die in the City of Pittsburgh, in a residential structure fire; Marc Kolenda, Tom Brooks, and Patty Conroy. Marc, a very young man with an entire life ahead of him. Tom, a husband, father of two children. Patty, a very spirited woman, with a love of life, the fire service, family, religion and her Irish roots.

Since March is women's history month, I will focus for the moment on Patty. Patty Conroy, grew up in the Oakland area of the city, daughter of a Pittsburgh Police Officer, she had two sisters and a brother, and a niece she adored. She was a very good friend of mine and a good friend to me. She was short in stature but big in love for her heritage, religion, family and friends.

Patty's regular assignment was 8 Engine and Truck, located in Penn Circle. It still is there for the time being. Patty went out of her way to become educated and knowledgeable about her job and the fire service, she sought out training to help her learn and get better in areas that she felt she needed additional education. She became a PA State certified fire instructor, well before it was popular to do so, and well before there were many women who were certified. Getting educated for Patty was not about building a resume, it isn't the case for most women who are involved in the fire service, it was about making sure you knew how to do your job. There were few mentors available to make sure that happened, we sought out ways to make sure we knew what we were doing, because being a woman in the fire service, there was always that fish bowl or being under a microscope affect that was and is still pervasive. It still exists to a certain extent in the fire service unfortunately .

Patty died working a detail to 17 Engine and Truck for the night, a detail she took to help out someone else. She died in a single family residence on Bricelyn Street, February 14, 1995. The company responded, they believed that someone was inside the structure, but it turned out it was a deliberately set fire. She had 7 and one half years with the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire at the time of her death. I do not go a day without thinking of her, or the others, Marc, and Tom who died that day.