Alabaster Firefighters Pipes & Drums
About Us
The Alabaster Firefighters Pipes and Drums is made up entirely of firefighters from the Alabaster Fire and Rescue Service.
The band was organized to honor fallen firefighters, promote the brotherhood and spirit of the fire service, and serve as ambassadors
for the City of Alabaster, the Alabaster Fire and Rescue Service, and the Professional Firefighters of Alabama.
The band is
the official band of the Professional Firefighters of Alabama and is the only fire department band in Alabama.
The band would
not be possible without the assistance of Chief Frank Matherson and the members of the Alabaster Fire & Rescue Service, Alabaster
Professional Firefighters Association L-4142, the Executive Board and members of the Professional Firefighters of Alabama, Jim and
Judie MacRae, and our instructor Steven Giles.
Why Bagpipes?
The tradition of bagpipes played at fire department funerals in the
United States goes back over 150 years. When the Irish immigrated to this country, they brought many of their traditions with them.
One of these was the bagpipe.
In the 1800's, Irish immigrants faced massive discrimination. Factories and shops had signs reading
"NINA"-No Irish Need Apply. The only jobs they could get were the ones no one else wanted - jobs that were dirty, dangerous, or both
- firefighters and police officers. It was not an uncommon event to have several firefighters killed at a working fire. The Irish
firefighters' funerals were typical of all Irish funerals - the pipes were played. It was somehow okay for a hardened firefighter
to cry at the sound of pipes when his dignity would not let him weep for a fallen comrade.
Those who have been to funerals when bagpipes
play knows how haunting and mournful the sound of the pipes can be. Before too long, families and friends of non-Irish firefighters
began asking for the piper to play for these fallen heroes. The pipes add a special air and dignity to the solemn occasion.
Today,
the tradition is universal and not just for the Irish or Scottish. The pipes have come to be a distinguishing feature of a fallen
hero's funeral.
After September 11, 2001 members of the Alabaster Fire and Rescue Service started asking ourselves, "Why
is there not a fire department bagpipe band in the state of Alabama to honor fallen firefighters?" In the tragic event of a firefighter
death, the respective department would have to search for a bagpiper to perform at the funeral. If a bagpiper was located, they
were always a civilian, or not a firefighter. This greatly bothered us. After discussing this we decided it was time
for a change! It was time for fallen firefighters to be honored by other firefighters.
After lots of hard work from our
members and support from the fire service community, Alabama now has a fire department bagpipe band to honor fallen firefighters.
The
Alabaster Firefighters Pipes & Drums are proud to serve our brother and sister firefighters and continue the tradition started
many years ago.
Our
Tartan
The Alabaster Firefighters Pipes & Drums proundly wears the
Modern MacKenzie tartan. The motto of Clan Mackenzie is “I shine, not burn."
