Arizona Fire Department Welcomes 19 Babies in One Year
The Chandler Fire Department had plenty of reasons to celebrate in 2024, chief among them welcoming 19 new babies into their “fire family.” Eighteen firefighters expanded their families—including one set of twins—proving that teamwork at this Arizona department goes far beyond the firehouse.
With a department of around 250 members, nearly 10 percent of the crew added new bundles of joy last year. To mark the occasion, the department organized an adorable photoshoot featuring all of their tiniest recruits. Since sharing the photos and a short reel on social media, the firefighters’ baby boom has captured hearts everywhere.
“Make a firefighter-baby calendar NOW,” joked one commenter. “All the babies are about the same age… did you folks have one hell of a party about 9 months ago?” quipped another. “So many built-in besties,” one person added, while another suggested, “They should make this photo an annual tradition and in 18 years take a cap-and-gown picture!”
The celebration also sparked praise for the department’s family-friendly culture. “It says a lot about your company that people feel comfortable having kids while working for you. Amazing stuff,” wrote one admirer. Another fan shared, “Growing up as a fire station brat, these babies are going to cherish these photos forever. I literally can’t stand all the cuteness! Thank you to these families for their hard work and sacrifice to take care of our families.”
The crew says this support for parents extends beyond just work culture and into a new group chat where all of the new parents can now come for advice, a laugh and more. “Everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different experiences, so it’s really easy to find somebody at work who’s gone through something you’re figuring out, like parenthood,” Jack Bernard, an engineer at the department and dad to daughter Jersey June, said in an interview with Good Morning America. “For all of us to be going through the same stage at the same time is pretty special. We shared laughs over the sleepless nights and tips and stuff like that.”
Blas Minor, the department’s chief of public relations, emphasized that the mini baby boom has led to a special community at the department. “It’s something that the wives and dads can share at work. When they’re out doing things together, they can bounce things off one another, especially those who are first-time parents,” he said.
Talk about a parenting supergroup!
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
