Drew Lee
Name: Andrew C. Lee
Favorite Band: Pogues
Favorite Boston Icon: Ted Williams (the Marine)
Born and raised in South Boston, our next featured firefighter is Drew Lee of Engine 24 in Grove Hall. Like many other Boston Jakes, Drew has proudly served our country overseas. He grew up in a neighborhood with a well-documented and much-envied history of military service, which motivated him to enlist as a Marine. Currently a USMC Captain, Drew served five years on active duty and seven years on reserve in the Corps. After being stationed at various Camps around the US, Drew has been deployed to Iraq three times, the Baltic Region and Okinawa, Japan. After deployment, Drew came back to the States and became a Boston Firefighter.
During his teenage years, the harbor was his playground. He learned to sail at the Harry McDonough Sailing Center on Castle Island and then at the South Boston Yacht Club, where he became an instructor. The ocean had such an influence on him that after graduating Copley High School (now Snowden International School) in 1993, he went on to earn his degree in Maritime Science at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Cape Cod. It is easy to understand why his favorite Boston landmark is the USS Constitution, ‘Old Ironsides’.
Drew has been all over the world and seen many places, but Boston will always be home base. When he is not at the firehouse, Drew spends as much time as he can with his family. He enjoys taking his four children to the parks and beaches in South Boston, sharing with them his many happy memories. Family and friends are at the center of his life. Drew also spends time teaching fire safety, speaking to young children at their schools.
Known for his conditioning, Drew quietly goes about his job, prepared physically and mentally at a moment’s notice to answer the alarm. He answered that alarm on February 10, 2007 responding to a fire at 60 Cheney St, Roxbury. According to the newspaper account of the fire, ‘Drew and his crew were returning to their fire station after a nearby medical call, when they received the report of the fire. People outside the building told the firefighters children were inside the burning apartment. Lee raced up the four flights, put his mask on, and entered the apartment on his hands and knees. “All I was thinking was, ‘Get the kids out,’ ” Lee said. After pulling out the two older children and handing them to other firefighters — “It was a chain of guys and we just handed them off” — Lee kept searching. He found the youngest child on the floor in the bedroom. Drew was further quoted in the article, “It was the same size and weight as my son. I thought,’The little guy ain’t making it,’ so I just ran with him.” The child did make it, thanks to Drew’s quick reaction and the efforts of his fellow firefighters.
His actions were recognized not only by his fellow firefighters, but by the Governor of the Commonwealth and in 2007, Drew was named a ‘Firefighter of the Year’. The consummate firefighter, Drew enjoys the respect and admiration of all who meet and work with him.
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