Sloggin’ away on Christmas Day

Marisa O’Neil

“You’re working Saturday?” most people questioned incredulously when

I told them my work schedule for this week. “But it’s Christmas.”

In response, I’d put on my best professional journalist tone.

“News doesn’t take a holiday,” I’d say.

But, truth be told, it kind of does -- natural disasters and

horrific accidents aside. Because misery loves company, I thought I’d

spend my Christmas Day seeking out those in the same situation as I.

Thing is, nobody seemed all that miserable. Just as I had, they’d

managed to adjust. They just have more practice at it.

After having a big Christmas morning with my 2-year-old son Liam,

my first stop was at Newport Pier. From a glass tower atop the pier,

Lt. Mike Halphide was keeping his binoculars trained on a dredging

barge in the water near the Santa Ana River mouth. It seemed

something was afoot on board, but it turned out one of the workers

had invited some friends over for a swim off the side.

That was about the most excitement he’d had at work all day, he

said. He had it pretty easy, he admitted, splitting a shift with

another lifeguard meant he’d only be away from his family for five

hours in the afternoon, after already opening presents with his wife

and three children. His 6-year-old twins got new wetsuits for

Christmas.

“My son Jackson wanted to try it on right away,” he said. “He was

just hanging around, opening presents, wearing his wetsuit.”

Opening presents and working a few hours in the afternoon pales in

comparison to soldiers stationed in Iraq, who are away from their

families for six months at a time, he said.

Next, I headed to the Fire Station No. 2 near City Hall in Newport

Beach, where they were preparing a Christmas feast.

I was surprised to discover they were deep-frying a turkey --

something that’s caused its fair share of fires in less-capable

hands. But not if done properly and with the right equipment, turkey

chef and paramedic Mike Liberto assured me. Done outdoors,

supervised, in a pot made especially for turkey frying, it produced

the most succulent, moist turkey around, he said.

Two deep-fried turkeys were on the menu for the 25-or-so

firefighters, paramedics, friends and family invited to the Christmas

dinner. Rookie firefighter Matt McClary contributed Matt’s Rookie

Greens salad to the dinner.

His parents were on hand for their first fire station Christmas

dinner.

“We told everybody: ‘Guess where we’re going for dinner?,’” his

mother, Marlis McClary beamed proudly.

Capt. Jeff Boyles’ mother, on the other hand, has been to more

than she can count. She and Boyles’ father, a longtime firefighter

and now a fire chief in northern California, were on hand with

Boyles’ wife and two young sons.

“It’s like a family,” she said as she looked around the fire

station. “A big family.”

Fortunately, the big family sat down for their feast without being

interrupted by an emergency call. But even if they had, they have

plenty of practice in reheating meals, Capt. Craig Johnson said.

Last but not least, I took a ride with Costa Mesa Police Officer

John Gates. He’d just started his 4 p.m. shift and, so far, the day

had been slow, he said.

Working a later shift on Christmas Day let him open presents with

his wife and three children, have a big breakfast and take a nap

before coming in. It’s old hat to him, having worked about nine

Christmases as a police officer.

For the most part, Christmas tends to be slow he said. Shops are

closed, traffic is and light people are on better behavior.

That is, until they start drinking, he said. Alcohol fuels some

domestic disputes that turn up on the holiday, he said.

Suicide threats also sometimes come in on Christmas, he said.

Officers generally see fewer calls on Christmas, but one can never

tell what will happen to make for a busy work day, he said.

“But so far tonight, the people of Costa Mesa have been

cooperative,” he said with a laugh.