The standard protective gear pants and flak jacket may have been a little big, but that did not stop William Dance from temporarily stepping into the size 13 boots of firefighter Damien Sanchez last week.
William’s parents unwittingly won the honor of “Firefighter of the Day” for their son by making the highest contribution to Officer John Carney’s Police Unity Tour Ride fund-raising efforts. Thanks to the $500 contribution made by his mother and father, the 7-year-old Great Falls resident got a personal tour of North Point Fire Station #39 and had the honor of having his name displayed on the North Point Fire Station sign. The firefighters of North Point also gave William a ride in their fire engine and the opportunity to practice fighting an artificial fire.
The first Police Unity Tour took place in May of 1997. The idea for the tour was conceived by Officer Patrick Montuore of the Florham Park Police Department in New Jersey. His hope was that a fund-raising bicycle ride would raise public awareness about the sacrifice made by law enforcement officers who had died in the line of duty. In the 1997 Police Unity Tour, 18 riders cycled for four days from Florham Park, New Jersey to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
The 2007 Police Unity Tour is being held in honor of slain Fairfax County Police Officers Detective Vicki Armel and Master Police Officer (MPO) Michael Garbarino. Armel and Garbarino lost their lives when a gunman attacked the Fairfax County Police Sully District Station last year. Garbarino had spent much of his career working at the McLean District Station. The funds from this year’s Police Unity Tour will be donated to the Armel and Garbarino’s children.
The Dance’s made a contribution to Officer Carney before the “Firefighter of the Day” contest was even announced.
“As soon as we heard about John Carney doing the Unity Tour, we decided we were going to make a donation because my husband is an avid cyclist, so we are always supportive of big bicycle rides, but also because they are raising the money for the kids of the officers who were killed — so that was an easy one,” said William’s mother LeeAnn Dance.
Police Unity Tour cyclists must raise at least $1,700 to participate in the event. With the Dance’s contribution, Officer Carney was able to raise a total of $3,000. Carney has been participating in the Police Unity Tour for several years, and the firefighters of the North Point station wanted to encourage local residents to support him. They subsequently came up with the idea of awarding “Firefighter of the Day” to the person who made the highest pledge.
LeeAnn Dance took her son to the North Point station on Wednesday, May 2 – the day after his 7th birthday.
“It was like a little boy’s dream come true,” she said. “They were so sweet to him.”
William’s favorite part of the tour was when station commander J.T. Harrison showed him how to operate the fire hose.
“He had this firefighter outfit on that was so huge on him — he looked like a Weeble because it was so heavy — and then when they turned the hose on, it was so powerful that he fell over backwards,” said Dance. “He just toppled over.”
After mastering the hose, the firefighters offered to take William for a ride in the fire engine — much to his delight. The engine went up and down Reston Avenue at full speed and then paid a visit to the home of one of William’s friends.
“They drove to this kid’s house, put on the sirens and got out the loudspeaker and started yelling ‘Jeremy come on out,’” said Dance. “It was just a great experience.”