Arthur Stoete (64) from Amstelveen has said goodbye to the fire brigade after forty years. With many bells, whistles and flames, a farewell was organized for him yesterday. “Once a firefighter, always a firefighter.”
Lots of sirens last night in Amstelveen. Not because of a big fire, but because of the farewell of volunteer at the fire brigade from the very beginning: Arthur. After more than forty years he leaves the fire service.
‘Outdoor Fire’
At the beginning of the evening two fire trucks with blaring sirens came to pick up Arthur at his home address. Arthur was pleasantly surprised yesterday, he says on the phone: “I didn’t know anything about anything, but suddenly heard bells and whistles everywhere.” Not much later, the control room received an alarm of an outdoor fire at Laan Nieuwer Amstel. But nothing could be further from the truth, as it turned out: Arthur’s colleagues were already waiting for him at the location of the outdoor fire.
Ribbon
Almost half a century ago, Arthur started working for the company fire brigade of the Fokker aircraft factory. “It was poured into it with the young spoon. My father was also a volunteer with the fire brigade.” Not much later, the 64-year-old Amstelvener became a member of the voluntary fire brigade in Amstelveen.
The volunteer work was always combined with his ‘real’ work as a graphic entrepreneur. As a volunteer, Arthur has specialized on all kinds of fronts within the fire service. For the past 15 years he has been chairman of the staff association. For this, among other things, he was appointed Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2011. Something he does not like to show off: “I do a lot, but I hate being in the spotlight.”
Future
According to Arthur, after forty years, it is ‘enough’. He explains that as a firefighter you have to be in good shape, something that you are checked for every year. “At 64 years old, I am the oldest of the group. I can no longer keep up with all those youngsters.”
Nevertheless, he will miss the work and especially his colleagues. “Without cozy colleagues I would never have lasted for forty years. Solidarity is also important, because if you step into a burning house somewhere you have to be able to trust each other blindly.”
Still, the fire department will never completely disappear from Arthur’s life. This way you remain a member of the staff association ‘until you die’, he says. “Once a firefighter, always a firefighter.”
Tip us!
? Send a Whatsapp message with a tip, photo or video to 06-30093003 (handy to save in your phone)!
? Contact the editors or journalists in your area via our tip form.
To stay informed?
? Stay informed of news from your region, download the free NH News app via the AppStore or the Google Play Store.