Derby’s Charles M. Stankye, Jr., a member of Paugassett Hook and Ladder for 56 years, was inducted into the Connecticut State Firefighters Association Hall of Fame earlier this month.
Stankye, 78, is a past chief of the Derby Fire Department — and he’s been a deputy fire marshal for 31 years.
The Valley Indy recently interviewed Stankye about volunteering in Derby and his induction into the Hall of Fame, which was attended by his wife, Anne, and their family.
Valley Indy: At what age did you first get involved in the fire service?
Stankye: “When I was 16.”
Valley Indy: What made you go out and …
Stankye: “My father. I followed my father, Charles M. Stankye. It was always part of the family. I grew up right down the street from the firehouse. My brother belonged, too.”
Valley Indy: What was it about the fire department that interested you?
Stankye: “The camaraderie, the brotherhood. Service to the community.”
Valley Indy: What’s the biggest difference between fire fighting when you were 16 and firefighting now?
Stankye: “The training. There is intensive, necessary training today.”
Valley Indy: Do you remember the first call you went on?
Stankye: “Oh, God no. It’s a good question, but no, I don’t remember. Back in the old days we used to ride outside of the truck. The adrenaline would get going. That’s what it really was — excitement.”
Valley Indy: I’ve heard talk there used to be some pretty deep rivalries among the old Derby fire companies?
Stankye: “There still are rivalries between companies, definitely. That’s what helps keep the volunteers going — the feeling that ‘my company is better than your company.’ It’s still there today.”
Valley Indy: I grew up in Somers, N.Y. It was sort of semi-rural, then everyone from Manhattan moved up. Housing prices hovered around $1 million. Volunteerism waned as I got older.
Stankye: “That’s because you’ve got everyone in the million-dollar homes. They couldn’t be bothered by volunteering.”
Valley Indy: That was very true.
Stankye: “They’re professionals. They have to worry about their society life and so forth. But in the towns and cities in the Valley, it’s not like that. Look at Shelton (FD). What do they have, 40,000 people? (The fire department) is all-volunteer.”
Valley Indy: It seems to me volunteer firefighters are the backbone of the Valley.
Stankye: “They stick together. Individual companies and individual towns stick together. I’m tempted to say they’re a political group, but they’re not. They’re not a political group. They’re organized and they voice their opinions as a group — and they work for the betterment of the whole community.”
Valley Indy: Your grandson was just sworn into the fire department — the fourth generation from your family. Is that common in firefighting?
Stankye: “Multi-generational, yes. But we’re the first in Derby to have the third generation and fourth generation.”
Valley Indy: Did you give your grandson any advice?
Stankye: (laughing) “Yes, I did. After the meeting I told him the best thing to do is to keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. Listen to the opinions of various people, and you’ll get along fine. He’s 18. It’ll be a good experience for him.”
Valley Indy: How did it feel to be inducted into the firefighters Hall of Fame earlier this month?
Stankye: “It’s a very distinct honor. Of 32,000 firefighters in the state of Connecticut, to be singled out and inducted is quite a good feeling. It makes me very proud. Evidently I’ve influenced some people down through the years. I’ve been honored by the friendships I’ve made in the fire service.”
Valley Indy: Who influenced you over the years?
Stankye: “My father. And my uncle (Joseph Stankye).”
Valley Indy: Is there any particular call that stands out over the years?
Stankye: “Yes, the BF Goodrich fire in Shelton in 1975. It was huge. I didn’t come home for three days from that fire. They had people coming from Waterbury to help with that fire. The other big one was the River Restaurant fire. That was on a Friday night and I didn’t come home until Sunday afternoon.”
Valley Indy: What type of work did you do while volunteering in Derby?
Stankye: “I’m retired. I was a general manager with New England Engineering Co.”
Valley Indy: How many kids do you have?
Stankye: I have four. Chuck (a Derby police detective) is my namesake, Richard runs a machinery repair business, Ronald works for the FBI and I have a daughter, Mary Geffert.
Valley Indy: Mary must have had it rough growing up with all those guys.
Stankye: “Yes, she did (laughing). It’s funny you say that, because I made it a point in my speech to point out that she was there. I’ll be with her and people I’ve known for a long time will say ‘I didn’t know you had a daughter.’ She wasn’t hidden in a closet! I want everyone to know that I have a daughter!”
