The Newark Museum, now the Newark Museum of Art, is located in a city of over 300,000 citizens. During a work day, that number increases dramatically as commuters arrive in the city to work. This mass of humanity is protected from the myriad dangers of modern life by less than 200 firefighters who are on duty at any given time.

These firefighters have done & continue to do extraordinary things to protect lives, property, & to serve all who are in the city. They have made physical, mental,

& emotional sacrifices to fulfill the oath taken when appointed. But all of this is mostly taken for granted or simply forgotten by the politicians, business leaders, and public.

The one place where people could go & begin to appreciate what the NFD has done & continues to do on an hourly basis was the Fire Museum.

To the children, it was a place to dream & admire. For adults, it was a reminder that in a world filled w/countless hidden risks,

there was a service that would respond to any emergency.

To members of the fire service & their families, it highlighted the job & commemorated the professionalism as well as the camaraderie of the firehouse.

In the overall scheme of things, it took so little to maintain.

They forced the cancellation of our muster.

Couldn't they leave this little reminder to the public that we are here; we are relevant, and we should be remembered by future generations?