Harold B. "Brad" Marker, Jr., June 22, 2010 and June 29, 2010

In his interviews with Alicia Martin-Cowger on June 22, 2010, and June 29, 2010, Harold "Brad" Marker Jr., who served with the Boise Fire Department, offered his memories of his career as a firefighter. Marker’s career as a firefighter began in 1978, was interrupted for 22 months by a reduction-in-force due to the 1% Initiative and continued until his retirement in 2005. He spoke on the following topics: recruitment and training of new firefighters; life in the firehouse; his reasons for entering the fire service; his impressions and memories of medical calls; the Eastman Building fire and other emergency responses; his reasons for staying on the line; firehouse pranks and rivalries; the effects on department morale of the 1% Tax Reduction Initiative passed by the Idaho legislature in 1978 on BFD; his family life; relations between firefighters on the line and administration in the department and in the city; the leadership of various fire chiefs; his transition to retirement; and his memories of his father, Harold Marker Sr., a firefighter whose career overlapped Brad’s.