When he was a boy, David Beagle didn't tell his teachers he wanted to be a firefighter, even though his father was one. He wanted instead to be a construction worker.
That's changed, as evidenced by his comments after a ceremony on Wednesday to mark his and two others' promotions to captain in the Rochester Fire Department.
"Most people don't like to walk into a burning building. We get a charge out of it," Beagle said during a reception at the city-county Government Center.
He entered the Rochester Fire Department in 2000 after having worked in construction management and in farming. His father, Tom, is a retired Rochester firefighter.
Beagle noted the camaraderie in firefighting.
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"It's a brotherhood, like in sports," he said. And, "The feeling of helping others really is a great satisfaction — when people are in the worst moments of their life, to be there and help, it's a great feeling."
The promotion of three department members to captain is part of a move to implement a sixth engine company — at downtown Fire Station One — to help meet a 6 percent increase in calls, said Fire Chief Greg Martin.
A total of five people were promoted Wednesday night:
• Beagle was promoted from motor operator to captain.
• Motor operator Craig Connelly, hired in 2004, was made a captain.
• Firefighter Brian Petersen, hired in 2005, was made a captain.
• Firefighter Jason Moritz, hired in 2004, was made a motor operator.
• Firefighter Joe Minnis, hired in 2000, was made a motor operator.
