Fire-Tested (W3:D5)

FIREPROOF is a movie about a firefighter, his wife, and their struggling marriage. According to the leaders of Firefighters for Christ International, it’s a movie every firefighter should see.

“The scenes were powerful,” says John White, a retired Captain who served for 45 years in the Los Angeles Fire Department. “I’m looking forward to seeing the whole movie.”

John, who is the president of Firefighters for Christ, was joined on the set by active New York Fire Department veterans Lt. Gerry Sillcocks and Mike Anson. Gerry has been a firefighter for 28 years, including the past 18 years in the Bronx. Mike is a 25-year veteran stationed in Manhattan.NYFD Lt. Gerry Sillcocks, NYFD firefighter Mike Anson, and retired LAFD Capt. John White (left to right) visit the Albany Fire Department.

While in Albany, Georgia, the group met not only with the actors playing firemen in the film, but also with members of the Albany Fire Department. They also spent time talking about the real-life troubles that firefighters’ marriages face.

“Because of what we do, firefighter marriages fall apart regularly,” Gerry says. “We’re under a lot of pressure. We’re gone for 24 hours at a time. A lot of marriages don’t make it.”

Gerry, John, and Mike have been married to their wives for a combined 85 years. And they all would give God the credit for keeping those marriages together.

“I’ve seen it both ways. I gave my life to Christ when I was 35,” Mike says. “My whole life changed when I met Jesus.”

Firefighters for Christ, which began in 1976 and has chapters around the world, will be supporting FIREPROOF when it arrives in theatres next autumn. And we can be supporting them by praying for our local firefighters.

“It’s a ‘me’ society,” John says. “The unique thing about firefighters is that in our jobs, we ask, ‘What can I do for you?’ If a firefighter isn’t willing to risk his life for others, he should be looking for another job.”