by Brooks Terry
Guest Writer
Calling Randy Wyse a career firefighter is an understatement. The 6-foot-7-inch Jacksonville native is third generation.
“There’s been a Wyse fighting fires since 1911,” he said. “My dad and my dad’s dad. We’re not quite at 100 years, but pretty close.”
A firefighter for more than 15 years, Wyse currently serves as president of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighers Local 122 Union, succeeding Roger Lewis. It’s a full-time job, he said, and no two days in the office are alike.
“It’s definitely a multi-faceted job,” said Wyse from his union office on Stockton Street.
The building, built in 1923, once served as a station and later as a training academy. The tower can be seen by I-10 traffic.
History and landmark status aside, union headquarters is unique in that old fire fighting equipment has literally been reimagined into everything from Wyse’s desk, cabinets, and drawer handles, to a coffee table in the union’s newly renovated lounge.
“It’s a great building and, on a given day, I get involved in things like politics and candidate endorsements, for example,” said Wyse. “There’s also the philanthropic aspects, the burn foundation, the blood bank, and, of course, there are things like contract negotiations between management and the rank-and-files. Basically if something happens, I explain what to do or try to fix it.”
Keith Wood, a retired firefighter and good natured presence around union headquarters agreed.
“He’s putting out different kinds of fires now,” said Wood.
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