As Santa Claus heads to town and families gather for Christmas turkeys and hams, many of Fayetteville’s essential workers won’t be home for the holidays. At hospitals and police and fire departments, duty remains top of mind, no matter the date on the calendar.
Officer Seth Hawley | Fayetteville Police Department
Christmas is like any other day at Fayetteville Police Department, says Officer Seth Hawley, who will be working December 25.
“We stay ready to take a call when we are needed — that’s what we signed up to do, even on holidays,” Hawley said. “We want Christmas to be a joyful, memorable day for everyone, but sometimes bad things happen and our presence is needed.”
They help each other make the best of it, he said. “The camaraderie we have helps, too; there are 10 of us experiencing the same thing, working instead of being with our families on Christmas Day.”
Captain Jason Pomeroy | Fayetteville Fire Department
Fayetteville Fire Department shifts are 48 hours on, 96 hours off, says Capt. Jason Pomeroy.
Firefighters take turns cooking group meals year-round, he said, since they must remain at the station at all times.
On Christmas, the on-duty crew cooks the main protein for a potluck feast, and their families join them, bringing the side dishes. “If we do get called away in the middle of cooking, then the families can take over,” Pomeroy said. “The station is decorated and festive. This helps bring our crews closer and also builds that support chain and connections among our families.”
Dr. Senushi O'Sullivan | Washington Regional Center
At Washington Regional Medical Center, “the holiday spirit is palpable, even within the ER, on Christmas,” says Dr. Senushi O’Sullivan.
“We’re more aware than ever that our patients don’t have a choice, they’re very sick and have to be in the hospital,” she said. “We get to go home at the end of our shift and be with our loved ones, so working on Christmas really puts things in perspective.”
When a patient expresses gratitude to the staff, “that is very meaningful to us,” O’Sullivan added. “It makes that time away from our families worth it even more.”