HAMMOND — While many families gathered around their Thanksgiving tables Thursday, firefighters at the Hammond Fire Department spent the holiday on duty, a tradition they’ve upheld for decades.

Twenty firefighters worked the holiday shift, preparing their own meal inside the station between calls. District Chief Bryan Needham, who has spent 21 Thanksgivings with the department, said the day starts like any other: with morning duties followed by hours of cooking.

“We start off our day with our daily duties and we start cooking early,” Needham said.

Even away from home, Needham said, Thanksgiving still brings familiar comforts.

“My favorite personal Thanksgiving food? My wife’s dressing,” he said, adding that he misses it each year but remains grateful for whatever makes it to the firehouse table.

Firefighters said the holiday shift doesn’t feel lonely. Instead, they describe the station as a second family, one built on shared meals, quick responses and constant support. Needham said the bond formed inside the department often mirrors what they experience at home.

“Oh, it is a brotherhood, absolutely,” he said. “We enjoy our time together, and anything that happens in your family is just like our family.”

While the menu changes from year to year, the calls continue without pause. Firefighters often trade their plates for gear within seconds, leaving the table whenever the alarms sound.

Despite missing parts of the holiday, Needham said the crew sees the day as an extension of their commitment to the community.

The department views Thanksgiving on duty not as a sacrifice, he said, but as another opportunity to serve together.