Dekalb Walcott Jr. spent more than 30 years as a firefighter for the Chicago Fire Department.

He’s now retired, but his son, Dekalb Walcott III, is following in his dad’s line of work. At StoryCorps, Dekalb III talks about how becoming a firefighter meant fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Dekalb Walcott III also wrote and recorded a song, “It’s a Callin’,” about his career. Listen to it here:

Originally aired July 4, 2014, on NPR’s Morning Edition.