New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Meet Bryce Fortes, 26-year-old fire fighter for the New Bedford fire department.
He never realized growing up that he would end up working to save peoples lives everyday. He had gone to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocation Technical High School and had graduated from the Carpentry shop. Upon graduation he started working with Youth Build, teaching at-risk youth how to build houses, while they studied to get their GED.
This was a fulfilling job for him, as he cared about the lives of the kids he had the chance to impact on a daily basis. After talking to his father one day, who is a corrections officer, he was left wondering what it would be like to work in civil service. He quickly became interested in the work that the fire fighters do on a daily basis and even went to offer to volunteer at one of the local stations, just to get a glimpse of what it was like. After taking his exam in 2011, he joined the academy and was soon on his first Engine.
He didn’t realize how much of blessing and calling he had to become a fire fighter until he witnessed the first toy drive that they were involved in. For him to see how is other co-workers took the time out of their day off to give back to the community, his eyes were opened to a brotherhood he had never known.
This was only the beginning of his desire to give back to the community. Being located at Ladder 4, on Acushnet Avenue in the North End, there is a lot of foot traffic. During the nicer weather, he and the fire fighters at that station are able to talk with the neighborhood kids and be an example in their lives. They also give back time at Gifts to Give and occasionally have pick up games with the youth at the Boys and Girls Club.
“I realize how blessed I am to be in the position I am in today. I am grateful and humbled by the fact I am in a position to be a positive role model for kids who come from where I come from. It is with an immense deal of pride that I say I am a member of the New Bedford Fire Department.”
Faces of New Bedford is a project by Colton Simmons. If you are interested in booking a shoot or getting prints from the series email all inquiries to colton@coltonsimmons.com
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