BAND WEBSITE: www.tampabayfirepipes.com
Your name and Position?
Richard Brown – Pipe Sergeant (Band), Lieutenant (Tampa Fire Rescue)
How many years have you been playing?
11 years
Where did you learn to play or who taught you?
I was self taught.
What made you want to start learning the Pipes?
I wanted to do something special for my brothers and sisters in the fire service. Being Scottish and Irish I also had a desire to get in touch with part of my heritage.
When were the Firefighters of Tampa Bay Pipes and Drums established?
Our band was incorporated on October 31st 2003 (Halloween)
Who can be credited with starting the band?
Pipe Major Bob Godbey with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and myself formed the band.
How many members do you have in the band?
We currently have 23 active members in the band.
You guys are made up from Firefighters across Tampa Bay can you give us a rundown of Departments represented?
We are proud to have members representing,
Alachua County Fire Rescue
Clearwater Fire & Rescue
Gainesville Fire Rescue
Hernando County Fire Rescue
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue
Palm Harbor Fire Rescue
Pasco County Fire Rescue
Plant City Fire Department
Sarasota Fire Department
City of Seminole Fire Rescue
Tampa Fire Rescue
Winter Park Fire Department
You allow family members in the band, has this always been allowed or is it a recent change?
We have always allowed firefighters and their family members to join. We have two father and sons in the band and three husband and wives represented. The fire service is all about family and so are we.
Can you explain why you think it’s important to allow family members in the band?
As I said before, the fire service is all about “family”. We teach new members of the fire service how important this is and make sure they understand that if anything ever happened to them that we would be there for their families so why would a firefighter pipe band be any different. We consider ourselves to be a reflection of the fire service.
One of the Father and Son members of the band
Are there any other stipulations for being a member of the band?
Yes, you must be an active, retired or volunteer firefighter or the immediate family of one.
Does the band require a member must attend a prescribed number of practices or events to remain a member of the band?
No, we have never had had to have that stipulation in the past but if it becomes a problem we may consider adding it to our bylaws.
You guys enjoy relative close proximity to two other Fire Service bands, Orlando and Palm Beach do you guys play together often?
Not as often as we would like to. We get together a couple times a year as a whole. We have the State of Florida Fire Memorial in Ocala in October and the Annual Florida Firefighters Pipes and Drums Roll Call in Orlando in February of each year. I am proud to say that the firefighter pipe bands and their members in the State of Florida have a great relationship and any time a piper or drummer has occasion to be in the area, the other bands and their members have always reached out to get together or offer assistance.
What was the first event played by the Firefighters of Tampa Bay Pipes and Drums?
The first event for the band was a funeral for the son (active military) of an Assistant Chief with a local fire department. The first event as a band was a FOOLS benefit event aboard the S.S. American Victory in Tampa Bay.
How were you received?
I think we were received well the local fire service. Understand that bag piping in the Florida fire service was non existent in the past. This tradition is new to most departments in Florida but it is being embraced quickly. We have members joining our band that tell us their departments have seen firefighters piping and drumming and now want that in their department as well.
What was your most recent event?
The band’s last event was a few weeks ago when we had the sad occasion to play at the funeral of a Hillsborough County firefighter.
You guys provide lessons for students who are your instructors?
Bill and Margaret Howard of Howard’s Highland House in Dunedin have taught our pipe and drum members from the beginning. Bill is an awesome pipe instructor of the best caliber and Margaret does an equal job teaching the drummers. Our band has progressed to where we are largely because of their guidance and patience. Bill and Margaret have become members of the band as instructors and attend almost every practice each Tuesday night.
Starting out how many members did you guys have?
At first it was just Bob and I until the first formal meeting. We had 14 additional members sign up. Bob and I were the only ones that had played before so the others were all starting from scratch. Thanks to Bill and Margaret Howard it didn’t take us long to have enough performing members to play as a band. I was very impressed with the dedication of the members at learning their new craft and the speed at which we were able to perform as a band.
How do you explain the importance of a Fire Service band to someone who doesn’t know or simply doesn’t “get it?”
I don’t have the need to explain it to any one. I think that like anything in the fire service, some will never get it or just choose not to. All we can continue to do is educate people to this aspect of the fire service’s history and show that there are other ways our family can support its members in good times and in bad.
2007 NFFF Whistle-Stop Tour
What is the biggest challenge for you being in a Fire Service Pipe and Drum band?
Our biggest challenge has been the fact that it is new in the Florida fire service. While most departments were quick to embrace it, other department leaders still have yet to see the value in a firefighter based pipe and drum band.
Personally what do you think the biggest reward is?
My biggest reward was the first time I heard a uniformed firefighter refer to us as “his band”. I don’t think he actually knew any of our band members but we were firefighters, and I guess that in his mind, that made us his band. I felt that he was glad we where there and proud of us representing him and his department. Funny, but that was also one heck of a motivation for me also. That was the day I understood that we were not just “another pipe band”. When we played we represented the fire service and its members.
How is the management of you band setup?
Our band is a 501c3 so we have elected officers that handle the business end and appointed members that represent the performance aspect. Our Pipe Major is Bob Godbey and our Drum Major is Les Ennis.
Where and how often does the band practice?
The band is lucky to have the support of many of our local departments and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue allows the band to use their administration building (in Tampa) as a practice hall every Tuesday night. We have ample room for the pipers to practice in one area and another area for the drummers to practice before we get together for full band practice outside. There is a large area outside that allows us to practice marching and formations.
Does the fact you are not all from the same department make it difficult to practice?
Sometimes, as we are made up from different departments and shifts, we have members that can attend some practices and events but not all. It does have its advantages also. If we have an event, we don’t have 23 members trying to all get off at once. Instead we have one member from this department and a few from this one making it easier to get members off for events.
Being from several departments are members allowed to wear anything that denotes which department they are from?
Yes, with their fire chief’s permission, members wear their department’s patch on the left arm of the band uniform and the band patch on the right arm. They can also wear their department’s badge on their band shirts.
One issue that we addressed early was with members wearing uniform type shirts with department patches. We were concerned about them being in pubs after performances and how the Chiefs would react so we created a band T-shirt. Now after the event, the uniform shirt comes off and band members wear the band T-shirt instead.
National September 11th Memorial
Are there any uniform articles that are unique to your band?
Aside from our band patch and T-shirts, we had a hat badge created with our band’s logo and each member wears this.
How do you raise money for the band?
We have been able to raise funds in a number of ways. In the beginning, we needed to fit out an entire drum line from scratch so we offered the general public the opportunity to “sponsor” a drum. They paid for the drum and in return we had an engraved plate placed on the drum with their name or business or whatever. The response was wonderful. The lady that sponsored our first bass drum made the plate in honor or her late grandfather and father in law.
The band also accepts donations for civilian events like parades and functions like weddings or funerals. We have had the support from some of the local unions and as a 501c3, we have also had firefighters donate through the United Way.
Do any of the departments represented provide any financial support?
We have never asked for any funds from our local departments. We are here to support the fire service, not take from them. If the department has extra funds we would rather they spend it on the troops instead of us. In this way, we also have no obligation to any one department. We support the fire service as a whole and stay clear of the politics. While some of the departments may help fund their piper with time and equipment, they do not give financial support to the band.
What about community or business support, does the band receive any type of corporate or local business donations?
We have accepted funds from companies for our drum line but as a rule we have not had to ask for funds. We have a local pup (O’Brien’s Irish Pub) in a number of central Florida locations that has been a great help to the band and to the fire service as a whole in the past. They have always been there to support the fire service in our endeavors.
Other than that, we do not have any major sponsors to answer to except the fire service and its members.
Is the band able to pay for any expenses for the members?
All of our members pay for their own uniforms and equipment except for the drums and color guard items. There are a few uniform items the band issues and we have venders that we get deals from for the rest of the uniform items. We have not paid for travel in the past but this year the band will be paying for some of the members to attend Emmetsburg’s memorial. We will pay the expenses for the trip including airfare, rooms and car rental. We are looking at paying for out of pocket expenses to attend events in Florida in the future as funds allow.
Is there a favorite “must play” local event for the band?
The Annual Florida Firefighters Pipes and Drums Roll Call in Orlando in February of each year is absolutely my favorite event of the year. There are a number of events that come in a very close second.
Massed Band at the 2008 Florida Roll Call
Is there a favorite “must play” national event for the band?
This year will our first “band” attendance to Emmetsburg. We are very excited about it.
What tartan do you guys wear and why was it chosen?
We proudly wear the Clan Leslie Tartan. Four colors are in this tartan. It is predominantly red for the fire service, a little gold represents the officers, a little blue represents the firefighters and a small amount of black represents the fallen. We felt this best showed who we are.
In the beginning we wrote and asked Clan Leslie’s permission to use their tartan explaining who we are and what our intentions were. Not only did they approve our using it, they made the band an honorary member of Clan Leslie.
How many events does the band play on average a year?
We played at 27 events last year. We have now gotten to the point were we have to start cutting back on how many events we can do a month.
Do you guys ever charge for performances?
No. We have accepted donations after playing events but we do not set a price to perform. We are happy to represent the fire service at different venues and since we are a new band we don’t have the experience to demand fees to play.
How is it determined if a student is ready to play with the band in public?
The Pipe Major makes that call with input from the piping or drumming instructor.
Does the band actively recruit new members or do you just let the people come to you?
Both, in the beginning we actively recruited at every opportunity but now that we are out playing at events we have a steady stream of new members coming to us.
There is a recent spike in interest in joining and forming fire service pipe and drum bands have you seen a jump in interest in your band?
Since we are so new, I have not had the experience to detect a trend yet.
How do you feel about the recent explosion of fire service pipe bands across the US?
I think that it’s fantastic. Some day I would like to see at least one piper or drummer in every department in the country.
You guys list a tune called “Firefighters of Tampa Bay” what’s the story behind the tune?
I felt that it would be great for the band to have their own tune that nobody else plays. I have a friend in the Scots Guard that wrote it for us. L/Sgt Ross McCrindle wrote it and we are proud to say it’s our band’s own tune.
How did you approach L/Sgt Ross McCrindle about writing the tune?
I have his E-mail so I just did it all via E-mail.
Did you have a sound in mind or a direction to give him about the tune?
I simply asked for a 4/4 march that could use pretty much as a universal tune.
How was the tune presented to the rest of the band?
Just took it to them and gave them a look.
How was it received?
A little cold at first, remember, just about all of our pipers started from scratch so they were a little intimidated by it. Our pipe major and instructor where trying to get them up to speed on the mass band tunes in the beginning so it took a while for them to embrace it.
There is audio on your website from a recording session, what was that about?
The city of Tampa has a firefighter museum in the downtown area. They have created a “Memorial room” for all of the fallen Tampa firefighters and they asked for a recording of Amazing Grace for this area. A friend of ours, Julian Camaz at Harborside Christian Church, handled the recording task and we had a blast. It was quite and education for us. It took us most of an evening to get what we got so I can’t imagine recording an entire CD worth of music.
Any chance we will be seeing a Firefighters of Tampa Bay album?
That would have be the ultimate thing for any band to produce. I really think we now have the tune sets and individual tunes along with the skilled players to do it. Perhaps in the future it will come.
What is the overall attitude of the band?
I would say we lean more towards the serious side. We know how to have fun when we need to though. As far as competition goes, it is in our by-laws that we are a non competition band. If individual members want to compete we are all for it and will support them any way we can. We have a couple of members that compete now in SUSPA and have done well.
Anything else you want to add?
Just what we tell new members - instead of reading about the history of the fire service, become a part of it.
