A man with a vision, a pioneer and driving force in fire safety, the father of FDIC.
This is how the fire service remembered Edward "Big Ed" McCormack, former executive director of International Society of Fire Service Instructors, who died Tuesday in Massachusetts. He was 67.
McCormack, a retired fire chief and creator of the Massachusetts Fire Academy, was one who didn't mince words. You know where you stood, and you knew his stance on an issue.
"He was a forward thinker especially for firefighter safety and survival. He didn't accept the risks people were taking. He was well before his time addressing that," said Billy Goldfeder, who said he admired McCormack for his dedication.
His out-spoken attitude about safety often ruffled feathers, but Goldfeder said McCormack just kept right on going. Nothing could change his mind about something once he was committed.
Goldfeder recalled McCormack and his wife, Mary, holding fire service classes in their home. "They turned their garage into a bunk room. That's how dedicated they were. Who converts their home...He had a direct impact on firefighters...He was a big man with a very, very big heart."
As a young firefighter, Goldfeder recalled meeting "Big Ed" when the FDIC show was in its infancy. It was McCormack who didn't forget to send the rookie the information he requested. "I didn't expect it. I was impressed that he followed through with what he promised."
Former Wayne Township Fire Chief Larry Curl said McCormack made an indelible mark on the fire service, and will be remembered for it. "He was the FDIC. He made it a show."
Curl said people will remember McCormack's sense of humor as well as his passion for the fire service.
McCormack started in the fire service when he was a teenager, and became the youngest chief in Massachusetts when he took over the department at Cushing Hospital in 1956.
Mary McCormack said her husband's passion: "He was way, way ahead of his time. He could never understand why some things he suggested never took. Then, years later, they would."
She recalled many fire personnel refering to their home as the "McCormack Hilton."
"It was nothing for us to have seven or more people stay after a meeting or training...It's good that this is a big house."
Ms. McCormack, the executive director of Fire Department Safety Officers Association, said her husband lived and breathed" the fire service. "He probably would have worked around the clock, 365 days a year. But, he had to sleep sometime."
Over the years, the couple met people from around the country. And, many have been calling her the past few days. Some, however, may not have gotten through as her phone was out of order. "My cell phone hasn't stopped either. I've had a problem keeping it charged. I've had four or more voice mails..."
In lieu of flowers, Ms. McCormack requests donations be made in her husband's name to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. "That's what he would want..."
The funeral will be held Thursday, April 13 at 9 a.m. from the Callanan-Cronin Funeral Home, 34 Church St, Hopkinton, MA.
A liturgy of the word will follow in St. John the Evangelist Church at 10 a.m.
Following cremation, burial will be at the convenience of the family. Notes of condolence can be sent to Ed's family in care of Mrs. Mary McCormack, 140 Hayden Rowe, Hopkinton, MA 01748.
Thoughts from U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.)"Ed McCormack was a man ahead of his time that continually defied the status quo and forged new frontiers for the nation's fire service. His dedication and leadership as a fire and emergency management professional for over 40 years has made him an iconic figure of America's fire service. From his teenage years as Massachusetts's youngest fire chief to his role as a leading national educator in fire safety issues, Ed McCormick's faithful dedication to improving the safety of America's firefighters was unmatched.
"Over the past 25 years I have come to know Ed as a true personal friend. His passion for the fire service mirrored his passion for life and friendship. I send my heartfelt condolences to Ed's family for their loss."
