The Story of Our Patch

by Chief Emily Rauscher

Our first patch in the history of our deparment….

Was designed by our longest serving volunteer Fire Chief Carl Mulvihill. He told me the story of going to conference in Ketchikan, Alaska and everyone having a shoulder patch except for Skagway. When the fire crews came back home everyone submitted designs, with Chief Mulvihill’s design getting the winning vote.

Legacy is important in a fire department. When updating the design of Skagway’s patch, we knew we wanted to keep Chief Mulvihill’s shield, but wanted to also honor Skagway’s history paying homage to the indigenous people. One artist came to mind for this project…Skagway local artist, Beau Dennis. His Tlingit name: Neechxwuduyaa, of the Ch’a’ak (Eagle) moiety and the Dakl’aweidi’ (killer Whale) house.

Beau is a Northwest Coast Formline artist focusing on traditional designs in various mediums. Beau grew up in Skagway and has always had a strong sense of community. Recently, Beau has had the opportunity to help further Tlingit/ Haida cultural knowledge locally, through designs made for Skagway City School, Skagway Municipality, and collaborated arts camp organized by Skagway Development Corporation, and now the Skagway Fire Department will be proudly wearing his design.

Our new patch pays homage to our fire department history, the legacy of our past Chief Carl Mulvihill, the center of our patch being the fire shield he designed. The formline filing the Maltese cross, paying homage to the indigenous peoples, and Skagway’s history. Together, the forms serve as a reminder of our history, so that we may grow and move forward, always remembering where we came from.