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Retired firefighter Ed Miles proudly wears the Milan Fire Department helmet that MFD gifted to him for his 25 years of service to the department, as well as for his 97th birthday. Courtesy Photo — Milan Fire Department
MILAN, N.M. — Just before Christmas 2021, Milan Fire Department decided to honor retired firefighter Ed Miles on his 97th birthday. Miles spent 25 years serving the Milan Fire Department before retiring a little over ten years ago. Although he is retired and not firefighting in an official capacity, Miles still plays an active role with the department and supports them in whatever ways he can.
“Ed is an honorable member on the fire department still,” said Milan Fire Department Chief Daniel Urioste. “He’s been a mentor to many of us firefighters that have been here… Everybody looked up to him and fought many fires with him together. So, he’s just an honorable firefighter. Very honorable, and since his retirement, he knows he can’t help us much, but he still supports us in every way. He stops by and sees us and talks to us and wishes he could still be on the fire truck with us… The guy lives and dreams and thinks firefighting still, so you want to keep him included on all of that and everything we do.”
On his special day, MFD gifted Miles with a Milan Fire Department helmet, which had a significant number on it. “That was his last assigned man number,” explained Chief Urioste. “When he retired, that’s the number he had when he retired. In fire service, everybody’s got a man number, that was his last number that he was assigned when he retired. A helmet with the number on it just signifies the man number, that was you.”
With the helmet, the members of Milan Fire Department included a note to Miles that read, “Ed, Milan Fire Department would like to wish you a very happy birthday and a Merry Christmas. After doing some research, this was the last number that was issued to you. We hope this helmet brings you joy. And want you to know that you will always be part of our family of firefighters.”
According to Urioste, MFD wanted to give Miles a piece of MFD memorabilia for him to personally cherish and be reminded of the department with. They also wanted Miles to know that they still think of him, appreciate his support, and still consider him a part of the department.
Urioste also spoke further on the idea of family that keeps individuals like Miles connected with their department long after active service: “Everybody in the fire service worldwide is considered a family. We all respond together, we all come back to the station together, we all grieve, we all cry, we all cheer, it’s a big family. It’s not only Milan Fire Department, it’s all fire departments. There’s a brotherhood, and we call it a family because when we do things, we always try to include everybody’s family in it too. Like I said, it’s the way the fire service is and police departments across the world are the same way… Everybody has a shoulder to cry on or somebody to laugh with. We share a variety of things together.”
Not only did Miles dedicate 25 years of his life to Milan Fire Department, but he also inspired four generations within his family to follow after him and join the fire service family as well.
Milan Fire Department can be reached at 505- 287-7366.