Urbana Firefighter Eric Beverly, left, plays the bagpipes Monday during a practice session with fellow firefighter Brian Williams. The two have been playing the pipes for five years.
Firefighters continue tradition
SARAH PERRY Staff Writer
The mournful music can be heard while traveling down East Market Street and rounding the corner of North Kenton Street. The sorrowful notes eventually round back to the Urbana Fire Division in the municipal building, where two firefighters are diligently trying to master the art of the bagpipe.
Eric Beverly and Brian Williams are flushed, drenched in perspiration and attempting what seems to be impossible on this Monday - tuning the bagpipe. Beverly eventually gives up and shrugs his shoulder.
"If it's not making my ears bleed, it's not too bad," he said.
The two are currently the only two firefighters in the Urbana Fire Division who are all too familiar with the stubborn instrument. The bagpipe has been a tradition for centuries for fire departments and service personnel and Beverly and Williams picked up the skill about five years ago, with the intent of continuing the custom.
But sometimes, like on Monday, practicing can seem daunting when it takes awhile to tune the pipes. Both sets must play in tandem or the sound is not pleasant.
"Either you love them or you hate them," Beverly said. "Some just can't stand the sound of them."
Beverly noted it's likely that most people who don't like the bagpipes have heard them out of tune when the pipes sound terrible. But even it they're hard to tune and sometimes a pain, the two firefighters respect the instrument and what it stands for.
Williams said the instrument became a tradition in the service community when the Irish and Scottish immigrated to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries.
"Back then, in New York, being a police officer or being a firefighter was considered real low on the totem pole, so nobody wanted those jobs," Williams said. "When they got the big influx of Irish immigrants, they (the Irish) took those jobs, so when they had funerals, they just used what they knew and it stuck."
Williams begins blowing into his pipes while Beverly adjusts Williams' drums on the instrument. A long "huuuummmmmm" extends from the pipes. The bagpipes are finally tuned, and the two begin to play their own version of "Amazing Grace."
The tune is a little faster than the original music and Beverly's foot begins tapping. The men begin to perspire and the blue uniforms are soon soaked.
And then the marching begins.
"You throw marching in there and it's a whole different ballgame," Williams said. "They asked us to pipe for St. Henry's 100th anniversary and we did it in here constantly up and back. We finally got it down, but it's tough. It takes a lot of coordination."
When Beverly and Williams first began playing the pipes, they practiced for hours, Williams said. The men practiced every third day at least an hour, and sometimes much more. It took them almost a year to become ready to play at an event.
For Beverly, playing the bagpipes was a process. He first ordered a practice chanter to try out his skill, and when he finally received his pipes in the mail, he couldn't make them emit sound.
He likens the process to breathing treatments.
"That was my hardest thing ... trying to get these things to make noise because you're using muscles you're not used to using," Beverly said. "Really, it has to become automatic or you can't play. Everything has to flow or it's not going to work."
Every year, an average of 100 firefighters die across the nation. The International Association of Firefighters Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service takes place annually in Colorado, and Williams and Beverly both have traveled to play the pipes and honor their fellow workers killed in the line of duty.
"There's nothing like hearing 150 pipes and drums," Williams said. "It sends chills up your spine, even for us."
Beverly said in Colorado Springs, Colo., the whole city turns out to hear them play.
"We just pretty much take over downtown," he said. "They shut the streets off and we're playing everywhere. The bars will be packed and we'll just form a line. It's so much fun. We play in the streets. We play everywhere. Nobody cares."
At times, playing the bagpipe isn't fun, and a heavy burden comes with the job. Beverly and Williams have never had to play at an Urbana firefighter's funeral, other than a retiree, and neither look forward to it. They did play for Mechanicsburg Firefighter Jon Trainer's funeral last year. They said it was difficult.
"You just have to keep your emotions in check for a little bit and get through it," Williams said.
Beverly added, "It's always an honor when we get called to do that. We hate to do it, but are more than happy to."
Beverly's fingers begin flying over the chanter and soon the old firehouse fills again with the sorrowful sounds of the bagpipe. After an hour of practice, the pipes are tuned, and the firefighters are at peace.
Sarah Perry can be reached at sperry@urbanacitizen.com
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