Two days ago, Dan the bike, mentioned how hard it is to see the flags at half mast at his firehouse. He is the chaufer for ladder 9. The bunting and flag at half mast means they have not yet brought all the firefighters of a house home. I was thinking of the hunge number of orange shields I see, marking new firefighters, or probies, and so this came to me, and it is for Dan and all the women and men of the FDNY...

The Probies of 01
Words Lorcan Otway, Tune Arthur McBride from the singing of Paul Brady
Inspired by Dan "the bike" Rohan and dedicated to 343 firefighters and their loved ones.

I saw in the eyes of a probie last night,
That familiar confidence that sense of fight
And I knew as I watched in the flashing red light,
I knew that our brothers had finally come home

So although the flags remain at half mast,
And though o'er the doorway grim buntings are cast
And three hundred and three wounds ever will last
I know that our brothers have finally come home

All the new probies know that which they face
They know of the dangerous demon we chase
And while shouldering the burden they'll never replace
Those heroes our brothers, they helped to bring home

So here's to the probies who joined in O one
As they sort out the job, as they have begun
To take up the slack where the bravest would run
As they help to usher our lost brothers home

So I look past the flags and the buntings and grief
At so many young faces providing relief
The orange shield on your helmets expresses belief
You carry our brothers, back to us and home.