Sound Tigers Thank Local First Responders
Dec 3, 2019Professional hockey players are perceived as brave and heroic, champions both on the ice and in their local communities. But sometimes you have to pause and take a step back.
“We’re far from that when you look at these brave men and women,” said Sound Tigers forward John Stevens, pointing to a group of first responders at the Bridgeport Fire Department on Monday.
Stevens and four of his teammates visited several locations around the Bridgeport community this week to thank police officers, firefighters and other first responders for their everyday vigilance. Players presented these men and women with Sound Tigers hats and shared stories about what it’s like behind the scenes in each other’s everyday life.
The visits were made in advance of the Sound Tigers’ annual First Responders Night at Webster Bank Arena on Friday, Dec. 27 against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Please contact John Reis at 203-345-4848 or by email at john.reis@harboryardse.com for more information or to purchase tickets. Fans can also click here to secure seats and give back to local first responders!
First, the players were guided through the inner workings of the Fairfield Police Department, where they met the department's narcotics dog and got to see the dispatch center, jail cells and indoor shooting range firsthand.
"To know that a lot of these people are on call 24/7, it really makes you appreciate their hard work and some of the mental toughness you need to have," Seth Helgeson said. "One of the friendliest police dogs I've met as well."
Next up was the Bridgeport Fire Department, where the team got the see the engines of Ladder 5 and chat with the firefighters about just how much teamwork goes into their job.
“Their jobs are a lot like ours on the ice, it's all about everybody doing his or her part and being accountable to one another."
The Sound Tigers have partnered with Ladder 5 for many years and even display a retired jersey number at Webster Bank Arena for the memory of fallen firefighter Steven Velasquez, an avid hockey fan and community member, who passed away in the line of duty in 2010.
To cap off the day, the team stopped by the American Medical Response (AMR) teams in Bridgeport, a service that provides medical care and transportation to patients around the country. Parker Wotherspoon, Ben Thomson and captain Kyle Burroughs were extremely impressed with a look inside the lives of these men and women and their tasks.
"We're obviously grateful for everything they do, not just for us but everyone in the community,” Burroughs said. “For us to have a chance to show appreciation to them, it's eye opening, but it's also great to be here."
