“My immediate response was to dump the pipes and run over to help him get back up to his feet,” Robertson said. In doing so the man accidentally fell and injured his head. While playing for a hospice patient at his home in Glenwood, the man got up to get a better look while Robertson played.
He has played during birthday brigades and for hospice patients at Valley View Hospital. Many of these appearances have been recorded and posted to Facebook on the CRFR page. Robertson has taken part in multiple appearances over the last several months in the hopes of being a positive distraction for the community during the global pandemic. “Everybody can agree that a bagpipe playing on the hill at sunset is pretty cool and it doesn’t really matter where you come from or what you believe everyone can agree with that and I think that’s a pretty powerful thing.” Special appearances “Music is one of those things that are beautiful and we really can’t say why,” Churchill said. Locally he has been playing for the Lakota Senior Housing facility located just behind the fire station, giving them something to look forward to each week. “It’s important that you trust and like your team.” “It was just a good way to bond and build some camaraderie on our crew which is pretty key in any team but especially in some of the dicey stuff that we get into,” Churchill said. He was hoping to also be a distraction for someone while in isolation and has been playing every night while on duty since March 20.Ĭolorado River Fire Rescue engineer Gene Robertson plays the bagpipes for the Lakota Senior Housing Facility during a sunset solidarity session in New Castle. It was not required but it was an idea that spoke to Robertson. Sunset SolidarityĪround the end of March, Sunset Solidarity came into fruition as a way to continue practicing to hold that high level of standard when honoring those who have fallen in the line of duty. “The Colorado Emerald Society’s primary goal is to be a line of service death band and there are select tunes that we all need to play together, so practice was a necessity,” Robertson said. Before the outbreak of COVID-19 the group got together to practice monthly. Robertson is the only member of the Western Slope as the other 74 are in the Denver area. Colorado has a chapter called the Colorado Emerald Society consisting of 75 registered members out of 24 different agencies. The Emerald Society is a fraternal organization completely made up of law enforcement and fire fighters.
He eventually picked up and learned a second tune called Going Home.Īfter a video featuring Robertson playing Amazing Grace and Going Home as a flag was lowered for a fallen Colorado State Trooper was sent to pipe major and Front Range Fire Department Chief Mike West, Robertson was invited to play with the Colorado Emerald Society. “The Scottish heritage brought that piping tradition with them.” Emerald SocietyĪs Robertson continued into this new endeavor it grew quickly and without much resistance. “Before there were safe practices in place there were a lot of line of service deaths,” Robertson said. They are responsible for safely getting the crew from the station to the scene of a fire or accident. They must know their engine inside and out. However, the role as an engineer goes far beyond that. Now as an engineer, he is doing what that young boy once said he would do driving the fire truck.
He trained in-house with the Clifton Fire Department before being hired on and eventually transferring to CRFR in 2014. I wanted to be part of that I wanted to be bigger than myself,” he said. “They were always respectful to the community, always welcoming, so it just fueled my passion toward the fire service. Originally from San Diego, Robertson spent most of his young life in Pleasant Grove, Utah until moving to the Grand Junction area 23 years ago.ĭuring his time in Utah he would often visit the fire stations to talk with fire fighters. Gene Robertson works with other fire fighters while battling the blaze that broke out near MM 113 on Wednesday, Aug 5 just west of Glenwood.
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