10/07/2026
🚒 A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MAY NOT BE AT THE FIRE STATION — BUT THEY’RE STILL RESPONDING TO YOU.
One thing we want everyone to understand about volunteer fire departments is that volunteer firefighters don’t sit at the station waiting for the next call.
They are at home. They’re at work. They may be out getting groceries, coaching their kids, farming, working in the yard, or simply going about their everyday lives.
When that emergency call comes in, they drop what they’re doing and respond.
Sometimes, a volunteer firefighter may arrive at your home before the fire truck does. We have several guys that live close to the fire station. They’re usually the ones that respond directly to the station and get the truck to take it to the scene.
They may respond directly from their house or wherever they happen to be when the call comes in.
You may see a firefighter pull up in a personal vehicle, wearing jeans, a T-shirt, or plain clothes. That doesn’t mean they aren’t a firefighter. Many volunteers are trained in fire, EMS, rescue, hazardous materials, and other emergency services.
They are there for one reason: to help you.
That firefighter arriving in a personal vehicle may be the first person checking on your family, assessing the situation, providing medical care, advising others if additional resources are needed, helping evacuate someone, locating a fire, or starting the work that needs to be done until the apparatus arrives.
So the next time you see someone pull up in a personal vehicle during an emergency and head toward the scene, remember:
That may be your volunteer firefighter answering the call.
They don’t get paid to leave their dinner, get out of bed, leave work, or interrupt their day.
They do it because this is their community, and they’re willing to be there when you need them. ❤️🔥🚒
Please respect their response and give them room to work.
Our volunteers have over 400 years experience combined, and seven of our volunteers are full time firefighters on career departments.
