I am really glad to hear that the FDNY will kept the badge numbers for the next generation of family fire fighters. It is truely an HONOR to follow in your fathers footsteps as a Firefighter for the Greatest Fire Dept in the World.
I also followed my fathers footsteps as a firefighter, although in another city, "It was Still An Honor". My brother was a little more luckier than I was, He got the job in the same city (Bridgeport, Ct) as my father, and they were on the job for a while together. After my father retired (who we called "Smoke", and he never got mad at us for it), my brother got to work in some of the same companies that Smoke did. Even as an officer.
The problem was everytime we got together, even Holidays with visiting relatives, "we always talked about the Fire Dept". My mother would be so mad. She'd say "can't you talk about anything else but fire dept". We did. We always told her how GREAT her cooking was.
By the way "Smoke", what a Great Guy and Fireman you were. We still miss ya "Smokey". (And Mom's Cooking).
For more about "Smoke", see thread called "Role Model" under "National Forums"