Fire Departments of Maryland's Eastern Shore | Parsonsburg Volunteer Fire Company

A few months ago on a sunny but cold winter's day I drove home from Salisbury and passed the Parsonsburg Fire Company. Located in Wicomico County on Maryland's eastern shore, Station 6 sits directly on Old Ocean City Road, just a mile or two south of the original fire house. There is something quietly mournful about a flag at half-mast and so I took a photo of this first. The lowered flags marked the sad occasion of two lives lost just days before, as two Harford County Sheriff's Deputies died in the line of duty.

Since no one was around - and even if there had been, I'm sure I would have chickened out on the asking to see the inside of the fire house because I'm shy. So I settled for some photos of the exterior and grounds. Located in the front is a memorial wall of bricks featuring the name of loved ones, local organizations and tributes to various members of the community. One of the bricks in the wall which carried a special, sad, significance and yet in a way, I was glad to see it. It seems important to know that Sarah Foxwell is remembered and still held in our hearts.

The black ribbon was from a funeral service a week prior, when beloved chief Steve White had been laid to rest as our community mourned.

I don't recall what the message on the scrolling signboard, also bearing a black ribbon, stated, but just these two words seemed fitting for a volunteer organization: "You can".

The wind had picked up and before I left, I was able to take another photo of the flags in the breeze.

Added January '16

• Album for Station 6 on Altered Art's Facebook Page
• Visit the fire department's website here
• PVFC Facebook page
• History of the fire company, beginning in 1951
• My album of Maryland Fire Departments on Flickr

What is Altered Art.....well, it's not the perfectly pristine and professional photographs of your family on the beach....nor is it a stunning global landmark taken at just the right time of afternoon. These images seek to capture a different view of something and they aren't as polished, maybe because they are really more about the people and places and faces that I see.