Living Legacy

“Family Legacy” takes on a whole new meaning for Josh and Ron R. Bourgeois, two brothers who are serving as part of the third generation of volunteer firefighters with the Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1. Members of the Bourgeois brother’s extended family, from uncles, to nephews, to grandfathers, and even their own fathers and sons, have given their time and energy to the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department to help keep the community safe.

The history of Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1 is a long and rich one— in 1858, the Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1 was born, and has since then been active except for a few years during the American Civil War. The fire company was officially incorporated in 1872, and is considered to be one of, if not the, oldest volunteer fire department in the state of Louisiana. Shortly after, in the early 20th century, Ron and Josh Bourgeois’ great uncle Anthony Oncale was born— and would soon go to begin this family’s legacy with the Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1.

“Our grand-uncle Anthony joined first, and then our grandfather Oscar Oncale and the rest of his brothers followed. I joined this fire company on February 1st, 1985,” began Josh. “Becoming a volunteer firefighter is a tradition in our family. It wasn’t ‘if’ you became a firefighter in our family, it was ‘when.”  Josh’s younger brother, Ron, joined the fire company just a few short years later in 1988. “I was extremely proud when I joined,” said Ron. “It was such a great feeling to follow in the example our grandfather and father set.”

Both Ron and Josh explained that the tradition of joining the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department was not limited to just one descending line in his family. “At one point, my grandfather, every one of his brothers, brother-in-laws, and more were a member of this fire company,” said Ron. “We even claim extended third and fourth cousins who serve as part of our family line! Right now, we currently have four generations of extended family members volunteering. Growing up, seeing all our uncles and our grandfather serve as firefighters— it made us want to continue the tradition too.” The brothers’ grandfather Oscar even signed both Josh and Ron’s applications to become members of the volunteer fire department.

Both Josh and Ron followed a similar path through their time with the Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1, advancing through the ranks of Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, and finally were voted as members of the Thibodaux Fire Board, where the two brothers now act in an advisory capacity with the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department— particularly overseeing the best ways to raise, spend, and allocate funds. “We are essentially now a part of the governing body of the Fire Department,” said Josh. “We help oversee the business end of things, to make sure all the volunteer fire companies run smoothly.” The brothers explained that part of their work includes organizing beloved events such as the Thibodaux Fireman’s Fair, which serves as the primary ways the volunteer department raises funds.

Josh and Ron went on to discuss the important ways that the Thibodaux Volunteer Department are working to help improve the Thibodaux community and continue the legacy of the Thibodaux Fire Company No.1, particularly by reaching out to the younger generation. “We have something called a Probationary Program, which began at E.D. White High School,” said Ron. “This allows students to begin training as volunteer firefighters at just 16-years-old. They go through the same training a professional firefighter would, use the same equipment— this means that at age 18, these students have a jumpstart at becoming a full-fledged member of the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Company, and are ready to fight real fires and help keep the community safe.”  The Probationary Program, as well as other training efforts to include young community members in the volunteer fire company, has helped keep membership with Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1 constantly growing. “We have members who range from 18 to 90 years-old— some with over 60 years of service,” said Josh. “We always say that all firefighters are firemen, but not all firemen are firefighters. For example, if you are younger and still in training, you may not have not been into a hot zone to fight a fire yet. We also have older members who have never been into a fire in their life, or may not be able to anymore. However, all these members still have such an important role in keeping this department alive. We welcome everyone in, find them a role, and are so appreciative of everything all our members do to help out.” This attitude of inclusion and acceptance within the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department has helped members of all ages find a place within the company, and the proof is evident—Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1 has grown to include more than 100 members, with more than 500 in the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department as a whole.

While Josh and Ron have used their almost 40 years of service to help all community members through the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department, the most rewarding aspect of this volunteerism for them is continuing to watch their family legacy flourish. Both Ron’s son, Andre J. Bourgeois, and Josh’s two sons, Race E. and Max R. Bourgeois, are currently active members of Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1. These three sons are following the examples of three generations of volunteer firefighters who came before them in their family, including their fathers, numerous uncles, and great-grandfather. “I am so proud to see them following in our footsteps,” said Josh. “Back when I joined in 1985, the fire truck we had was dedicated to my uncle, Anthony “Papa Joe” Oncale. I thought it was so cool he had a truck named after him. In 1987, that truck was replaced with a new one, dedicated to two of our other uncles. Little did we know that 33 years later, we would have a truck dedicated to us,” said Josh, as Ron nodded in agreement. “It is so great that other members have recognized our commitment, and now we have our sons to follow behind us,” said Ron.

Both Bourgeois brothers are looking forward to watching how their sons will continue the family legacy of volunteerism, commitment, and involvement. “We always tell our younger members that family comes first,” said Ron. “Never put your family aside for this fire company. But together, you can balance your time and make everything work. That mindset has kept our legacy growing here for four generations— if you put aside your son, your daughter, your grandchildren, they won’t be interested in finding their place here one day too. You need to be there for them.” Josh and Ron explained that even with their deep commitment to volunteerism, they still took the time to ensure they were active members in their sons’ lives. “The most gratifying thing about being a member of Thibodaux Fire Company No. 1 is seeing how it continues to grow,” said Ron. “We don’t consider ourselves heroes here. We do this and we love it, and it truly fills our hearts to see our sons find their passion here too— and hopefully many generations to follow.”