County dad defends against fires and pass completions

Pierre Lee, a rookie fireman at Chesterfield’s Station No. 7, also plays for the Richmond Raiders. Tom Topinka If Pierre Lee can snuff fires as deftly as he plays football, Chesterfield County will be a safer place to live.

A rookie fireman at Station No. 7 (beside old Clover Hill High), Lee is also employed by the Richmond Raiders of the Pro Indoor Football League.

You could say he’s a full-time fireman and a part-time defensive back.

“Basically, with my work schedule, I just play home games for the Raiders,” said the former Thomas Dale High and Virginia State University gridiron star.

In the four games played at Richmond Coliseum, Lee was in on 16 tackles and broke up many passes, helping the Raiders to a 5-2 record and a shot at the PIFL title.

Work commitments meant missed grinding bus trips to Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama.

Lee is happy to report he’ll be back in uniform No. 8 this Saturday when the Raiders play host to the Columbus (Georgia) Lions at 7 p.m. at the Coliseum.

Raiders Director of Operations Gary Criswell said the team is willing to work around work schedules.

Practices are set for 6:30 p.m. at Dove Street Armory in Richmond, enabling players to work regular day shifts.

There’s not much financial incentive in arena football. Raiders get $200 for a victory and $150 for a loss.

An arena veteran, the 6-foot, 195-pound, 27-year-old played several seasons of indoor football with teams in Shreveport, La., and Albany, Ga.

With three children, 10 and 9 years old and one 8 months, he felt it was time to ease off his football dream and settle down.

“It didn’t look like I was going to make the NFL, and I had some life decisions to make,” said Lee. “You’ll never make a living playing arena football.”

When he spotted a help-wanted ad for county firefighters, he went after it like he was chasing down a rival pass catcher.

Lee passed the 40-week recruiting school and became a full-time fireman in June 2011.

It helped that he is naturally fast and strong and a proven team player – just the combination the fire department seeks.

“I love it; it’s the best job I could ever think of having,’ said Lee. “It’s definitely going to be my career.”

Should Chesterfield Fire ever enter a team in a county flag-football league, they’ll have a definite go-to guy in Lee.

Firefighters can save lives and homes and are essential to any municipality, but there is a somber side.

“I’ve seen some pretty gruesome things – including death,” he said. “With children of my own, that hit close to home.”

Prior to becoming a firefighter, Lee was serving at the County Juvenile Detention Home.

Lee left his deep footprints on the gridirons at both Thomas Dale and VSU.

As a Dale senior in 2001 under coach Vic Williams, he was an All-Central District defensive back who helped the Knights reach the state Group AAA finals before falling to James Robinson.

That Dale squad featured tailback Nick Fleming, the Central Region’s all-time rusher. Fleming and Lee then played together at Virginia State.

Under coach Andrew Faison at VSU, Lee earned All-CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) honors as a senior in 2005 and recorded nine career interceptions.

In their third year of operation, the Raiders are thriving in the standings and at the box office, with home-game attendances thus far of 3,243, 3,071, 2,912 and a high of 4,389 May 5 for a 50-43 victory over Louisiana.

Lee is a versatile defender who lines up at either cornerback or safety.

Considering all, his position seems apropos: a firefighter is all about safety.