Alaska firefighters pay tribute to Phil Rounds
Published Sunday, November 30, 2008
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FAIRBANKS — In the shivering cold stood dozens of firefighters, some in short sleeves, as eight pallbearers carried Battalion Chief Phil Rounds’ casket into the Great Hall on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus on Saturday.
Rounds, who died Nov. 21 after a 10-year battle with throat and lung cancer, was a popular leader in the Alaska Fire Service. He worked for the Eielson Air Force Base Fire Department and the University Fire Department, where he served for more than 20 years. Rounds also traveled the state training firefighters.
He was honored with a long processional of fire trucks that drove down University Avenue from the fire station near Davis Road to the UAF campus.
The engine that carried Rounds’ flag-draped casket broke from the pack, passing through an arch formed by two fire ladders. A giant American flag hung from the arch.
The waiting firefighters formed two lines and stood at attention as the pall bearers slowly shuffled into the building, followed by Rounds’ wife, Bess, and other mourners. The only noise was the sound of idling fire engines.
Then, hundreds of people filed into the Davis Concert Hall for a religious service, eulogies and the reading of a condolence letter by Gov. Sarah Palin.
It was the largest gathering of firefighters in Fairbanks since February 2006 when an explosion and fire at the coal-fired power plant on Fort Wainwright drew all of the area’s available firefighting resources.
Pete Rounds, Phil’s brother, was one of the first to speak.
Pete, who followed his big brother to Alaska, said that before Phil lost his battle with cancer, he passed down some advice to his grandchildren.
“He told them all to go out and pick good life partners,” Pete Rounds said. “He told them to be good people and lead good lives.”
Gaylen Brevik, a Juneau resident, longtime friend and fellow trainer, spoke about Rounds’ love for his work, calling him a “cautious but aggressive firefighter.
“Phil had a blast teaching and traveling,” Brevik said. “His students felt his passion and sensed his good heart.”
Bob Lee, Bud Rotroff and Mark Hamilton also spoke. Lee taught with Rounds in the 1980s. Rotroff was Rounds’ boss in the 1970s. Hamilton is the president of the University of Alaska system.
Hamilton praised Rounds’ dedication to pubic service.
“We should all be humbled by the course of Phil’s life,” he said.
Later, when the microphone was opened to the crowd, up stepped firefighters inspired by Rounds’ example. Up stepped the wife of a firefighter who had worked with Rounds for 20 years. And up stepped a man who identified himself as one of the first people in Alaska to meet Rounds.
Those who spent time with Rounds during his last days said he was at peace.
The memorial service drew firefighters from across Alaska and Outside. One of Rounds’ former students came from as far away as New York.
Firefighter Josh Browning traveled from Anchorage to attend the memorial service. Rounds’ perpetual good humor made an impression on Browning.
“He was always in a happy mood,” Browning said. “No matter what was going on, he had a smile on his face.”
