LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Lexington firefighters answer a daily call to protect the city. But what sets one group of men apart is the bond they share off the clock.
Franklin, Martin and Charles Ashford are not only firefighters, they're also brothers. They work at different stations but sat down at Lexington Fire Department's oldest firehouse to talk about serving as siblings.
They say it began when Martin, inspired by an uncle, joined LFD over a decade ago.
"He did it first, and then I kind of followed his lead," said Charles. "Honestly, he would tell us about the job, how cool it was, some of the stuff he did, and it piqued my interest to come out."
Charles was next, and Franklin rounded out the crew eight years ago.
Giving back to the city was a longtime goal for the Ashford brothers, who grew up on the north side and attended Bryan Station High School. They say it's a value passed down from their parents, Frank and Sue Ashford.
"My mom, she would tell you that she's always prayed, and she was even told that her kids will be serving the community in some capacity," said Martin. "She never said what, but she's always prayed that."
Her prayers were answered, and the Ashfords say this career has served them right back. Franklin was promoted to lieutenant earlier this year. He's thankful for encouragement from his younger brothers along the way.
"I just wanna say, I'm proud of them for inspiring me a little bit to take that leap," he told LEX News.
"I think that's the biggest thing, watching us continuously progress throughout this career," said Charles. "That's a big memory for me."
All three brothers say they've relied on family support and community encouragement. They're also strengthened by the shared name on their uniform.
"We got our brothers at work, and we know they got our backs," said Martin. "But you've been knowing this guy all your life, and you know for sure, that hey, if I get into any trouble, I can definitely lean on one."
The Ashford brothers are not the only set of siblings in LFD history. The Blythe and Gilliam families both had three brothers serving at the same time. Earlier this year, LEX News also introduced you to Erin and Ashley Lucas, the first Black female twin firefighters in the department's history.
