I can't remember a time when my dad wasn't a firefighter—the smells, the big trucks, the sounds, the excitement. I remember the pager on the refrigerator going off, the town siren calling firefighters to action. One day, smoke rose near our house— a grass fire threatening our workshop. Dad raced home, but when the new pumper arrived, he couldn't start it. He was terrified we'd lose everything because he didn't know that truck. "That will never happen again," he said. He committed to mastering every piece of equipment, never to feel that helpless again. That moment shaped his career training firefighters across the country. When I joined the volunteer fire service, I followed a similar path as a training officer. Now I have over 40 years of service.

Fire has a mind of its own—you must understand it to defeat it. Both wildland and structural firefighting rely on one principle: remove a leg from the fire triangle—heat, oxygen, or fuel—and the fire dies. Structure fires burn with high intensity in confined spaces. Wildfires burn slower but can rage for days or weeks across natural terrain.

We fight the Beast with everything from simple hand tools and heavy equipment to cut through roots and remove organic materials down to mineral soil, taking away the fuel that feeds the fire. Trucks and aerial forces use water and retardant to cool the fires.

For me, volunteering is a choice—a choice to serve your community. You give your time, energy, and knowledge to become a professional. When the tones sound, you decide what comes next. That first step toward the station transforms you from a volunteer into a trained, skilled professional ready to answer the call.

It's important to me to serve this way because wildfires occur in the urban interface, destroying homes and lives. Without firefighters, we would lose much more.

Firefighting reflects American values—you train hard, stay physically and mentally fit, and work as a team to accomplish your mission.