North Oxford – If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of the White House’s chimneys look like, just ask Michael S. Elliott.
"Some were very dirty, and some were used more than others," Elliott said. "Some were hardly used at all."
From Monday August 18 to Wednesday August 20, Elliott, the owner of Central New England Chimney Sweeps in North Oxford, joined the White House Chimney Sweep Team to clean the chimneys of the White House in Washington, D.C. The team consisted of seven other chimney sweeps chosen from all around the country.
Elliott, 45, has been a chimney sweep 19 years and has been in more than 11,000 homes, but said the opportunity to travel to the nation’s Capital to help clean the building’s 38 chimneys was "the experience of a lifetime."
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The story behind how he was chosen goes all the way back to the early 1990s. Under President Clinton’s administration, Elliott said, the President asked Americans to "dig deeper" to fix the country’s deficit. Meanwhile, in 1993, Wisconsin chimney sweep Jeff Schmittinger attended the National Chimney Sweep Guild Convention in Washington D.C., and took a tour of the White House. He offered to clean the building’s chimneys free of charge as a civic duty, and he was awarded the contract.
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Since then, as part of that contract, different chimney sweeps are chosen through a referral process from those who have done the job before. This year; it was Elliott’s turn.
"They look for people who they know throughout the industry who do great, honest work," he said.
Elliott said the call came in to him announcing he had been selected to go to the capital was extra special because it came on his birthday, April 15.
"I was floored," he said about the call. "I couldn’t believe it. …It was an awesome present."
The euphoria about the trip soon turned to terror, however, as Elliott was involved in a bicycle crash at the Quabbin Reservoir in New Salem over the Memorial Day weekend. In the incident, Elliott broke his scapula (shoulder blade) in several places, including eight fractures and three major breaks. Three screws and several metal plates were put into his shoulder and his doctor expressed major doubt about whether he would still be able to go to the White House.
Luckily though, Elliott’s doctor gave him the go-ahead on Wednesday August 13, just four days before he was scheduled to leave.
"I was going no matter what the doctor said," he said.
Once in Washington, the team convened in Alexandria, Va., and took the Metro into the Capital, where it got right to work on Monday, Aug. 18, cleaning 18 fireplaces, including those in the Bush family’s living quarters, like the President’s bedroom, Laura Bush’s office and the bedrooms of Barbara and Jenna Bush. He was understandably sworn to secrecy about the particulars of the rooms, but said he was taken aback by how normal the Bush family’s living quarters are.
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"It was nice to see that they are ordinary people just like us," he said. "I treat their house like I treat any one of my customer’s houses."
The team came back Tuesday, Aug. 19, to complete 17 more chimneys, but was put on hold by the Secret Service until Wednesday, Aug. 20, because Vice President Richard Cheney was in his office. The team returned the next day to clean the vice president’s fireplace.
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"I think I heard his voice, but I can’t be sure," he joked.
To clean the chimneys, the team used manual tools, with the team of eight split up into two four-man teams, one on each floor. The team used specialized video equipment to check for cracks in the structure, but other than that, the same routine that is used in homes all across the country was no exception in the President’s home.
An interesting note about the trip, Elliott said, was the fact that the team had to be accompanied by "permanent escorts," members of the Secret Service who were not allowed to leave the workers’ sides throughout their time in the White House. Each team member also had to have a thorough background check completed before the trip.
The Secret Service "was with us every second," he said.
The highlight of the entire trip however, was when Elliott was chosen to be the one to clean perhaps the most prestigious fireplace in all of America.
"That was the most overwhelming thing for me – being asked to sweep the Oval Office," he said. "It was the most amazing thing. It was like Edmund Hillary climbing Everest for me. It was the greatest thrill in my career as a sweep."
He added, "it was like being called to the principal’s office – times 10."
When asked if he saw anyone he recognized during his trip, he admitted he did not see any politicians, but remarked on a surprising celebrity spotting.
"I saw the Jonas Brothers," he said. "I saw from about 300 yards away. I had to tell my kids that I saw them, but I didn’t see any politicians."
After three days, and nearly 40 chimneys in one of the most revered buildings in America, Elliott praised his team, remarking on its work ethic and dedication to getting the job done, even though they worked for no monetary gain.
"They were outstanding," he said. They were true professionals."
According to Elliott, he has an invite to return in two years. After that trip, he will join the list of those who will submit referrals for others to take part in the experience.
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (www.csia.org) lists certified chimney sweeps with the National Chimney Sweep Guild (www.ncsg.org). A new group is chosen approximately every two years by the NCSG and participants are invited based on referrals from former team members.
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For Elliott, the experience was more than an opportunity to do some sightseeing.
"A lot of people ask me if I got paid" he said. "I feel it is my obligation. I am very fortunate to have this trade. I am very proud to donate time to the country. I consider it the highlight of my career."
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Elliott lives with his wife Michelle, who joined Central New England Chimney Sweeps full-time in 1996, and two sons, Nathaniel, 9, and Christopher, 6, who both attend St. Louis School in Webster.
Elliott credited his wife with being instrumental in the success of the business.
"I am very fortunate," he said.
For more information about Central New England Chimney Sweeps, visit www.centralnewenglandchimney.com.
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