By the Fireside

As we look toward the horizon, the Anne Arundel County Firefighters Emerald Society (AAFES) is filled with a profound sense of pride. We are approaching a major milestone: our 25th year as an organization.  It is a time to reflect on where we started, the challenges we’ve overcome, and the incredible community we have built together. Humble Beginnings & The Emerald Spirit Our story began with a small, dedicated group of firefighters who shared a common bond. They came togethe

A Tradition Born From Service, Struggle, and Brotherhood Emerald Societies in the United States trace their roots to the mid-20th century, but the conditions that gave rise to them stretch back much further. To understand why Emerald Societies exist, it is necessary to begin in the mid-19th century, a period of mass immigration, rapid urban growth, and deep social tension. During this era—particularly following the Great Irish Famine—millions of Irish immigrants arrived in Am

If you spend enough time around any organization, sooner or later the same question comes up: why are we here? The Anne Arundel Firefighters Emerald Society started back in 2002 as a small fraternal group. At the beginning, it was about connection — people finding one another through shared background, shared service, and shared pride in the role Irish Americans played in the fire service. Like a lot of things in this job, it started simply. A few people, a common bond, and t

People ask from time to time what the #1818Strong Scholarship is, so this is just the straight answer. Before it was a scholarship, #1818Strong was something people used while Greg Leonard was sick. Friends, family, coworkers, and others around the job used it to show support for Greg and his family during his fight with ALS. The number comes from Greg’s badge — 1818. The word “strong” wasn’t meant as a slogan. It was just the word people kept coming back to when they talked