HOUSTON – A Houston fire station received an upgrade thanks to other firefighters from around the globe answering the call to help. Firehouse Shirt Club led a head-to-toe renovation of Houston Station 45’s living area, or dayroom, as firefighters call it, to recognize and reward the brave, hard-working men and women who work there.
“Firefighters dedicate their lives to the service of others, and now it’s our turn to serve them,” said Jim Scano, a former Dallas firefighter turned founder of the Firehouse Shirt Club, a monthly firehouse t-shirt subscription service, that features shirts designed exclusively by firefighters. To date, the t-shirt company has featured more than 100 original firehouse shirts and returned over $100,000 to participating stations.
“Morale has been at an all-time low and this makeover is going to be a much-needed boost for our men and women,” said Capt. Tommy Lummus, a 24-year Houston Fire Department veteran who calls Station 45 his second home. The station, which was built over 40 years ago, hasn’t been remodeled since, he said. “Typically, the day room is where firefighters hang out, but ours is so outdated and boring, most of us don’t even go in there.”
Like other stations around the country, Station 45 houses firefighter crews who work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. “Firefighters live at a firehouse a third of their lives, so we want to help make their living space as comfortable as possible,” said Scano. “With the help of several local businesses and some firefighter volunteers, we will work together to transform this outdated dayroom into a modern living space that firefighters can enjoy for years to come.”
After 9 years of donating money to participating stations, Firehouse Shirt Club decided to launch Firehouse Overhaul to make an even bigger impact. “It’s easy to write a check,” said Scano. “But it is a lot more enjoyable to put our hands into the station and make a difference that we can see with our own eyes.”
The renovation, which was expected to take four days, includes new stadium seating, a giant flat-screen television, fresh carpet and paint, as well as a new ceiling and numerous other updates. There will also be a special tribute honoring Houston’s fallen firefighters on the wall.
“We’ve had other people say they are going to do stuff for us for years, but the Firehouse Shirt Club is the first group to step up and do something,” said Captain Lummus. Firehouse Shirt Club hopes this will be the first station renovation of many around the country.
If you are interested in having the Firehouse Overhaul visit a station in your city, visit: www.firehouseoverhaul.com
For more information contact Firehouse Shirt Club founder Jim Scano at [email protected] or 469-301-1971.
About Firehouse Shirt Club
Founded by a Dallas-area firefighter in 2011, Firehouse Shirt Club allows firefighters to get their hands on special-edition, authentic t-shirts from other fire stations from around the world through a monthly subscription service. The t-shirts are designed exclusively by the men and women from the stations they represent. To date, Firehouse Shirt Club has created more than 100 shirts and returned over $100,000 to the fire stations that have made this possible. Visit www.firehouseshirtclub.com.
*Disclaimer: Firehouse Shirt Club is not affiliated with Firehouse Magazine.
