When Brandon Frederick’s house caught fire on Sunday, Sept. 7, the Colgate Facilities employee ended up on the receiving end of the same community spirit and mutual solidarity he had helped foster in Hamilton for over two decades.
Frederick, a current Colgate staff member who previously worked in restaurants in Hamilton for generations of Colgate students, lost his entire home to the devastating structure fire. But the response from both the Colgate community and the Hamilton community has exemplified the relationships between the town and the University that Frederick himself helped build.
“When you come to Colgate, you are not just part of the Colgate community,” Frederick said. “You become part of the Hamilton community too, whether you know it or not.”
Frederick, his wife Hannah and their two young daughters all escaped the fire unharmed. Even the family’s cats were rescued from the burning home and resuscitated by first responders.
“The fire got out of control, the firefighters kept going in and looking and finally they came out holding them in each hand, and they were lifeless,” Frederick said. “They took them to the ambulance, and they had little cat-sized oxygen respirators, and they essentially brought them back to life.”
Professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies and Environmental Studies Ian Helfant, who lives two doors down from the Fredericks, witnessed the fire both aerially and up close at the scene.
“Early Sunday afternoon we were having lunch when we noticed heavy smoke drifting through the treetops. Having no idea what was going on, I sent my drone upwards and saw to our horror that the smoke was coming from their house,” Helfant recounted.
Helfant also emphasized the significance of the first responders’ actions.
“The firefighters and EMTs that came to the aid of Brandon’s family were truly heroic,” Helfant said.
Among those firefighters were Colgate student volunteers who knew Frederick personally from his years working as a custodian in Pinchin Hall. One Colgate student who responded to the fire was junior Madeline Bryan, who has volunteered with the Hamilton Fire Department (HFD) since her first year.
“There’s definitely so much value in serving any community, big or small, but I’ve been able to appreciate the impact more as a member of the Hamilton Fire Department. We see many of the same faces while working as members of HFD, and are able to build — and build upon — relationships with these people,” Bryan said. “It feels so immensely important to me that we are able to serve our friends and neighbors on their worst days.”
The fire destroyed more than just the family’s house. Frederick’s wife, Hannah, runs a thriving Central New York photography business that lost important equipment in the blaze. Her car was also destroyed. However, memory cards containing her client work miraculously survived in a desk drawer.
“She’s worked so hard for this, she’s poured her heart into this,” Frederick said. “The firefighters brought [the memory cards] out and she just started bawling.”
A GoFundMe campaign is raising money to help the family rebuild, with donations coming from across the extended Colgate community. The campaign was launched by Matt Kroll ’07, a close friend of the Frederick family, and Tucker Ray, who owns Ray Brothers BBQ in Bouckville, N.Y. Kroll was a Colgate student when he met Frederick, who was then bartending at a restaurant in Hamilton, and began a lifelong friendship with him.
“[Frederick] bartended for an entire generation of Colgate students at several Hamilton establishments. His kindness, friendliness and positive attitude made a lasting impression on thousands of Colgate alumni, which is why Tucker Ray and I decided to start the GoFundMe,” Kroll said.
Frederick said the outpouring of support reflects broader relationships between the University and the Hamilton community that often go unrecognized by students.
“Most of my time [on the Facilities staff] was spent at Pinchin Hall. An important part for me was to make that connection for them so they see me as Brandon the local with two little girls, and not just their faceless custodian,” Frederick said. “We see you guys more than your professors really do.”
University President Brian Casey, whom Frederick said knows him personally and regularly asks about his family, exemplifies this connection.
“He is probably the most respected president to ever come out of Colgate because he has been able to make those local connections,” Frederick said. “I know when I see him, he’ll give me the biggest hug, and that means a lot as an employee.”
The Frederick family is currently staying with relatives while working with disaster recovery services to navigate insurance and rebuilding processes.
“It’s just a complete miracle all around for our family. You want to talk about the best worst case scenario — this is it,” Frederick said. “My kids have clothes, we have clothes, we have a place to stay.”
Kroll’s GoFundMe campaign continues to accept donations to help the family rebuild their lives.
“Colgate students, you guys are the best. [The University] is its own community within our community, and it’s important when your community really becomes a part of our community, with volunteering for first responders,” Frederick said. “You guys have been amazing — the whole community.”
