On their left sleeves, Trenton firefighters have long worn a uniform patch they say is unlike other departments for its depiction of the Iron Fireman, a statue honoring their profession that has stood in the city for over 100 years.
The Iron Fireman, clutching a rescued child, is where the department, pre-pandemic, held annual ceremonies. More importantly, itâs where the names of firefighters who died in the line of duty are listed. The Iron Fireman is a huge part of Trenton firefighting, members say.
Thatâs why the decision by the departmentâs new civilian director, Kenneth Douglas, to change the patchâs design – and lose the Iron Fireman – has been met with anger and an online petition to keep the old design. Firefighters say they were not part of the decision, and should have been, and the new design, which newly sworn firefighters started wearing Thursday, tosses away countless years of tradition.
