In Episode 420 of Mic’d In New Haven — The Best of The Bravest: Nationwide (Volume 15) — U.S. Federal Firefighter Nick Palumbo reflects on the lasting impact of one of his earliest mentors, the late Chief Tommy Prine.
Prine wasn’t the loudest person in the room. In fact, according to Palumbo, he was often the quietest. But when he spoke, people listened. His leadership came not from volume, but from respect.
As a young boy fascinated by the fire service, Palumbo spent countless hours around the members of the Englishtown Fire Department. Prine never brushed him aside. Whether it was teaching a nine-year-old how to pump a fire truck, sharing stories, or working on the department’s beloved antique 1930 Mack apparatus, he always made time.
Those moments helped inspire a future career in the fire service and eventually led Palumbo to join the fire department explorer program at just 14 years old.
It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the greatest legacy a firefighter leaves behind isn’t a fire they fought or a rank they held — it’s the young person they took the time to encourage.
VIEW FULL INTERVIEW HERE:
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