Emergency responders honor Tom Carson

MONTOUR FALLS--The lights and sirens of firetrucks from multiple departments sounded in Montour Falls Saturday, April 20. There was not a fire or emergency scene; the volunteer departments were paying tribute to firefighter and former chief Tom Carson. Carson also served as the Master of Ceremonies at many fire department award banquets and is pictured at the Watkins Glen dinner in 2015.
Carson was battling cancer and got to see the outpouring of support from his porch as the Montour Falls, Odessa, Watkins Glen, Hector, Tyrone, Monterey, Beaver Dams, Burdett, Mecklenburg and other agencies made their way to honor his service. A video by Tom's son showing the arrival of the emergency vehicles posted to Facebook has nearly 14,000 views with hundreds of shares and comments. Two days later, April 22, Carson passed away.
"This is when you know what brotherhood really means...when every department in the county comes together to honor a great man," said the Burdett Volunteer Fire Department with a display of photos of the convoy. "[We] visited one of our own to show him love and appreciation for a lifetime of serving others," said the Odessa Fire Department.