Brotherhood Beyond Retirement: Charlotte Firefighters Stay United

Retired Charlotte Firefighters share a warm greeting, proof that the bond of service carries on long after the last call. 

By: Kevin Campbell, Charlotte Fire 

The bond of firefighting does not end with retirement. It lingers in the shared laughter, the familiar teasing, and the stories that never grow old. For a group of Charlotte Fire retirees, the job may be behind them, but the brotherhood continues as strong as ever. 

They meet monthly to catch up, swap stories, and check in on each other. One conversation might be about the health of a fellow retiree. The next might drift into a prank that once kept a firehouse in stitches. In those moments, the years fall away, and the feeling of belonging returns.

Dozens of retired Charlotte Firefighters gather monthly, proving the brotherhood remains strong long after retirement. 

“It’s kind of good for the soul,” said retired Battalion Chief Mike Steele, who served 27 years with Charlotte Fire after joining in 1991. “When you retire, it’s different. You’re not walking into the firehouse anymore, not talking about the ballgame or what’s going on in the world. But here, you’re back in that environment again. You’re surrounded by people who lived it with you. And you realize how much you missed it.” 

A Brotherhood Beyond the Job 

For firefighters, the career has always meant more than just answering alarms. It is a way of life built on trust, teamwork, and sacrifice. Crews spend holidays together, share meals at the station table, and carry each other through life’s hardest moments. That bond becomes a kind of family that few other professions can match.

Retired Battalion Chiefs Keith Rogers and Mike Steele helped spark the idea for regular meetups, keeping firefighters connected after service. 

“There’s no other career like it,” Steele said. “My wife can leave work and never see some of her coworkers again. But in the fire service, you live with your coworkers. You share life together. Somebody’s dog dies, you all talk about it. Somebody’s child gets married, everyone’s part of the joy. That bond doesn’t end when you retire.” 

Still, stepping away from the job can leave a void. The routines of shift life vanish overnight, and some retirees find themselves missing the chatter of the firehouse more than anything else. That sense of belonging is exactly what the group set out to preserve. 

A retiree wears a shirt honoring the legacy of September 11, a reminder that the firefighter spirit of service and sacrifice never fades. 

Keeping the Connection 

The idea grew from casual lunches between Steele and retired Battalion Chief Keith Rogers, who joined Charlotte Fire in 1986 and retired in 2016 after 30 years. Every few weeks, the two would meet for a meal, often bumping into other firefighters. Each time, the same thought came up: they should make it a regular thing.

Stories and laughter flow easily as retirees gather, sharing memories and keeping the firehouse camaraderie alive. 

“Eventually we stopped talking about it and just set a date,” Rogers said. “The third Thursday of every month. That way people always know when it’s happening.” 

The word spread through the retiree system, Facebook, and simple word of mouth. Now, on any given month, 20 to 40 retired firefighters gather to reconnect. The restaurant itself is secondary. What matters is the conversation, the laughter, and the comfort of knowing that even after the firehouse, the family is still there. 

“You never know who’s going to show up,” Rogers said. “But every time, you see someone you haven’t seen in years, and it just makes your day.” 

Stories That Never Get Old 

Around the table, the talk flows easily. Some share updates about their families or health, while others launch into stories that have been told and retold for decades. 

Former Charlotte Fire Chief Luther Fincher, who once led the department, joins the gathering to reconnect with firefighters from across generations 

“Sometimes we tell the same stories over and over again,” Steele said with a grin. “But that’s part of it. Somebody will start with, ‘Hey, did I ever tell you about the time Keith…’ and off we go. Even if we’ve heard it before, it never gets old.” 

For Rogers, the stories are more than entertainment. They are lessons. 

“It’s like when you were on the job and learned from the veterans,” he said. “It’s the same thing here. There’s a lot of wisdom at these tables. You learn about life, about how people handled things on the job, about how they’re handling retirement. And it’s valuable.” 

Voices From Different Eras 

The group blends generations. Some retired only recently. Others left the job decades ago but still carry the fire service in their bones. 

Retired Captain Everette Passaly is one of the elder voices. He joined Charlotte Fire in 1967, long before recruit classes became the norm. “We spent one week just cleaning out the smokehouse,” he recalled. “But we learned, and I was fortunate to work with fantastic crews my entire career.” 

Retired Charlotte Fire Captain Everette Passaly reflects on his 35 years of service and the friendships that continue into retirement. 

Passaly retired in 2003 after 35 years, but he says the bond never weakened. “Once you’re a firefighter, you’re a firefighter to the day you die,” he said. “You don’t just walk away from it. You carry it with you.” 

Even now, more than 20 years into retirement, he finds joy in the monthly reunions. “When we get together, we reminisce,” he said. “We talk about the good old days, the funny things that happened, the tough calls we worked. It’s about keeping those memories alive and keeping those connections strong.” 

More Than a Social Outing 

For many, the gatherings are more than just an excuse for lunch. They are a way to check on each other, to make sure no one slips through the cracks in retirement. 

“Sometimes people come who weren’t sure about it,” Rogers said. “They’ll say, ‘I debated coming, but I’m so glad I did.’ That tells me this is something people really need.” 

Charlotte Fire retirees Danny Ross and Larry Metts reunite, continuing friendships forged during years of service together. 

In some cases, attending the monthly get-togethers has encouraged retirees to re-engage with other fire department events they had drifted away from. “A couple of guys told us they hadn’t gone to retirement drop-ins or events in a while, but after coming here, they realized how much they missed it,” Rogers said. 

A Lasting Legacy 

The tradition is still relatively young, just a little over a year old, but it already feels timeless. For those who gather, it is not about the place or even the food. It is about the people, the shared history, and the knowledge that the bond forged in the firehouse does not fade with age. 

“Our retirees built the foundation we stand on today. Their service and sacrifice continue to inspire those of us still on the job," said Fire Chief Reginald Johnson. "We are grateful they remain connected, because their stories and example guide future generations of Charlotte Fire.”

The conversations move from family updates to firehouse stories, echoing the camaraderie that once filled station kitchens. 

“Firefighting is unique,” Steele said. “You don’t just do the job and walk away. It stays with you. And these lunches remind us that we’re still part of it. That we’re still family.” 

For the men and women of Charlotte Fire who have retired but not forgotten, the third Thursday of every month is more than just a date on the calendar. It is proof that the brotherhood doesn’t end with retirement. It only grows stronger with time.