REVERE — A member of the Revere Fire Department and an old photo have sparked conversations about the department’s history.
Revere Fire Capt. Tom Todisco purchased a photograph of five high-ranking members of the department several years ago on eBay, an online store that facilitates consumer-to-consumer sales.
It was identified as a Revere Fire Department photo in the sale description, and the name Hussey was marked on the back of the original copy, he said.
“There was a Chief Hussey in the late 1800s, which is when I think it was taken,” said Todisco, who has an interest in the city’s history and collects old fire photos and Revere Beach post cards.
But Todisco wants to learn more about the picture and the men in it.
With 22 years of experience, Todisco believes there is significance to the cross bugles on the insignia of each of the men’s caps.
“Normally, a captain is two bugles on the insignia straight up and down,” he said. “Those are two cross bugles. I’m told those men were district chiefs. Three cross bugles on some of them may be deputy chiefs.”
Todisco posted a copy of the photo on the fire department’s Facebook page in an effort to identify the firefighters. He quickly received feedback from someone who believes the man in the center of the picture is Chief Frank Hussey, as he had originally guessed.
“I always find this stuff interesting,” said Todisco. “The more information I have on stuff, the more interested I become.”
