Violet Township firefighters are dedicated to the well-being of more than just township residents.
They also place a high priority on taking care of their own – and when Dave Woodward, a firefighter and medic with 24 years of history in the Violet Township Fire Department, learned he had bladder cancer, the rest of the firehouse came together to support him.
Woodward, a resident of Duncan Falls – in Muskingum County, near Zanesville – was diagnosed Aug. 6.
He has been on light duty since then, allowing him to work whatever hours he can work comfortably. Firefighters on light duty can go out to scenes, but cannot do heavy work there.
“It’s a lot of office work,” Woodward says.
To support their colleague, the township firefighters made and sold T-shirts with the “Woody Strong” logo on them, “Woody” being Woodward’s nickname. They also put the logo on their trucks as part of an effort to educate the public.
For the last few years, the department has dedicated the month of October to a fundraising campaign, including wearing pink T-shirts to support breast cancer awareness efforts. “Woody Strong” was a perfect choice for this year’s campaign, says Fire Chief John Eisel.
Woodward got the benefit of the dollars raised by T-shirt sales, as well as the benefit of a collection taken up by the Reynoldsburg Police Department. Some of the fire department’s jurisdiction is also under the jurisdiction of Reynoldsburg police, and one of the department’s fire stations is in Reynoldsburg.
He’s also been accompanied to each of his doctor’s appointments by either Eisel or one of the department’s assistant chiefs. That’s a big help because having an extra pair of ears at appointments makes it easier to retain information, Woodward says, especially when that pair of ears has medical training as assistant chief Mike Little, a registered nurse, does.
Phone calls, text messages and other expressions of support have added to Woodward’s motivation.
“Everybody in this department has been so outstanding,” he says. “I don’t think you could ask for anything more.”
The department also reached out to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network to learn more and obtain educational materials. Firefighters’ cancer rates are higher than those of the average person, Eisel says, and the network is working hard to determine the causes, be they smoke, toxic chemicals or other factors.
The network also makes recommendations to cut down on risks, such as leaving breathing masks on longer and carrying disinfecting wipes on fire trucks. The department just had posters made to remind firefighters of those safety steps.
“If we can learn from it and make it better for us or better for other departments, then this is a golden opportunity,” says Woodward.
The department is a family, Eisel says, with many firefighters spending as much time with their colleagues as at home. The firefighters treat one another accordingly, he says, and as such, they are committed to helping Woodward and his loved ones.
“There’s not a better group that comes together and excels in times of need,” says Eisel.
The crew has built decks, repaired homes, helped people move and more as part of its team spirit, Eisel says.
Woodward has been working for fire departments since 1976, when he joined the fire department in Muskingum County’s Harrison Township as a volunteer. He also worked as a medic for the Malta & McConnelsville Fire Department in Morgan County.
“I love the fire service,” says Woodward. “It’s just one of those things that you love it or you don’t.”
For 23 of his 24 years in Violet Township, Woodward has also been an instructor at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg, specializing in pump operations and hydraulics.
Woodward has undergone four rounds of chemotherapy, and an operation to remove his bladder was expected to take place in mid-January. Scans have not shown any issues outside the bladder, he says, so prospects may be good if the surgery goes well.
Woodward is married with five grown children.
Garth Bishop is editor of Pickerington Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Photos and Story by Garth Bishop
