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Georgetown City Fire Department Georgetown, South Carolina |
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The Charleston Nine |
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Short profiles of the nine fallen Charleston firefighters By RUSS BYNUM - Associated Press Writer The nine firefighters killed in a fire Monday night June 18, 2007, in Charleston. Bradford "Brad" Baity, 37, Capt. Mike Benke, 49, Melvin Champaign, 46, James "Earl" Drayton, 56, Michael French, 27, Capt. William "Billy" Hutchinson, 48, Mark Kelsey, 40, Capt. Louis Mulkey, 34, Brandon Thompson, 27. |
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To many of his fellow firefighters, Capt. Billy Hutchinson was more than just a veteran fire captain with three decades of service under his belt - he was also their barber. When he wasn't on duty or playing golf, Hutchinson, 48, worked a side job trimming hair at a barber shop in the Charleston area, Fire Chief Rusty Thomas said. He would even set up a chair at the fire station to give haircuts to co-workers dropping by during their shifts. Hutchinson was known for working at a slow, deliberate pace that earned him the nickname "Lightning." But Thomas said Hutchinson tackled his assignments head-on, from making sure his firefighters were trained to raising money for children's charities. |
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Despite his soft-spoken demeanor, Capt. Mike Benke had a quiet confidence and leadership abilities that were never questioned by Charleston firefighters. With nearly three decades at the department, Benke, 49, would fill in for battalion chiefs when they took vacation. And firefighters trusted in his experience when Benke gave orders, Thomas said. "When he spoke, they did what he said," Thomas said. "Everybody knew that he knew his job." |
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Capt. Louis Mulkey always found somebody to cover his shifts on Friday nights during football season so he could attend the games at his alma matter, Summerville High School. The 34-year-old Mulkey, a 1991 Summerville High graduate, had played defensive back and quarterback at the school, said Capt. Richard Waring, a friend since middle school. When he wasn't on duty, Mulkey volunteered as a coaching assistant for the high school's basketball and football teams. Kelly Lax, Mulkey's cousin, said many students he had coached came to his home Tuesday to see his wife, Lauren, after hearing Mulkey was among the firefighters killed. "They gave grief a new face," Lax said. "They were very much a part of this family." |
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Captain William "Billy" Hutchinson |
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Captain Mike Benke |
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Captain Louis Mulkey |
