PLYMOUTH — Firefighters received special recognition Sunday thanks to Terryville resident Howard Gomme.

Sunday marked Firefighters Day in Connecticut, a day started by Gomme, who worked as a volunteer firefighter for over 10 years.

The 67-year-old began the effort in 1998 and has since made sure that firefighters are honored each year on Sept. 6.

After listening to the radio on his way to work and hearing about Nurses Day and Teachers Day, he wanted to know if there was a Firefighters Day, he said. He called the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy and Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Md., where the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial is located, to see if there was a national Firefighters Day. When he was told there wasn’t he decided to begin a tradition of celebrating it on Sept. 6 in honor of his grandfather, Jim Duff, who was a firefighter and fire commissioner in Plymouth. He said firefighters simply deserve to be honored.

“You never know when they go out on a call if they’re gonna come back or not,” Gomme said. He added that firefighters always sacrifice something to go out on calls, including dinner and time with their families, and a lot of them are volunteers.

Firefighting runs in Gomme’s family, and that’s part of why he decided to volunteer in Terryville. He followed in his grandfather’s steps, and Gomme’s son, who lives out of state, is now a firefighter too.

“I thought it was a good choice,” he said.

Gomme, though retired now, enjoyed his time with the fire department. His favorite part was “just the satisfaction of helping a neighborhood,” he said.

Gomme’s efforts for a holiday in honor of firefighters have spread to other states, including Maryland, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, which declare their own Firefighters Day. He said that because he called the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy and Emergency Management Institute, other states heard about it and wanted to join in.

Gomme said he contacts the governor each year for an official proclamation, and he gives the framed document to a different fire station each year. Fire departments that have received it so far include Thomaston, Chaplin and Wallingford. This year, he gave the proclamation to the Harwinton West Side Volunteer Fire Department.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s proclamation this year read that she officially proclaimed Sept. 6, 2009 as Firefighters day “in appreciation of the outstanding services that firefighters provide,” and include several reasons including that “thousands of dedicated firefighters, whether career or volunteer, give tirelessly and unselfishly of their time, energy, talents and expertise to save lives and property in communities throughout Connecticut.”

A press release from the governor’s office noted that Gomme asked for the proclamation.

Armand Lemieux of the Bristol Fire Department said that for him and other firefighters at work, Firefighters’ Day was is a reminder to keep fellow firefighters in mind. Sunday he was at work as usual.

“It’s very nice to be honored,” he said. “It’s nice to be thanked for what you do.”

Freesia Singngam can be reached at fsingngam@centralctcommunications.com or (860) 584-0501, ext. 7259.