Baby boom at DeKalb Fire Department welcomes 8 little ones

DeKALB – The DeKalb Fire Department is experiencing its very own baby boom.

In a recent news release, eight DeKalb firefighters celebrated their newborns who were born within months of each other by taking a photo together.

DeKalb firefighter Jared Thorp – one of the fathers – said it was the newborns’ “debut” at the fire station.

He said the idea behind taking the group picture – which also was shared on the department’s Facebook page – was simple: They wanted to turn heads.

“We did a picture together because we thought it would be cool,” Thorp said. “Obviously, having seven to eight kids in a short amount of time isn’t really a really popular thing. But with everything going on, we thought it would be cool to have some cool news for a change and get together [and] have that picture.”

Thorp said he hopes the photo can serve as a memento for the children as they grow.

“Obviously, they can see that as they grow up,” he said. “All of us are young and are going to be there for several years, so they’re going to be well into their teens. We’re still all going to be working there probably. It’d be kind of cool to either repeat that picture and then see that as they grow up.”

Trevor Chilton, a DeKalb firefighter who also is one of the dads, said he thinks he can speak on behalf of all eight firefighters by saying their wives deserve a lot of credit for what they do to support their families.

“We work 24-hour shifts, so being gone for a whole day is difficult to be away from a baby and the rest of your family,” Chilton said. “I think we would all agree that it’s harder for our wives because for that 24 hours, they’re like a single parent. They have to do bath time. If they’ve got other kids, get kids ready for school.”

Thorp and Chilton both praised the support provided by their fellow firefighters who may not have had a newborn in recent months.

“In general, like when we had so many taking time off to have the babies, everybody steps up and works extra shifts and cover things,” Thorp said. “Everybody stepped up there to support that so everybody could have some time off with their family.”

“When we were off, somebody had to fill those shifts,” Chilton said. “They’re supportive. [They’re] probably relieved that we’re back to work, though.”

Thorp said he looks forward to watching the fire department’s children grow up alongside one another.

“We’ve got a younger department here coming up,” Thorp said. “All of us obviously working together now, all of our kids will be able to be at functions together and grow up together in part of a family.”

When asked whether there is something in the water prompting the fire department’s baby boom, Thorp joked that he and fellow firefighters don’t know what’s going on.

“You have to interview the water department next,” Thorp said, joking. “But it’s a pretty cool thing.”

This story was edited at 9:45 a.m. Oct. 3, 2022, to correct the name of Trevor Chilton, after misspelling his first name.