Volunteering with a local fire department was at first an assignment me for. My local high school decided that in order for seniors to be able to graduate they must complete a minimum of thirty hours of community service. This, I originally thought to be a “cruel and unusual punishment,” but as I began volunteering I came to love the idea and was thrilled that this was made a requirement.

     I joined the local fire department when I was a freshman and joined with my dad. As I began going with him to fire department meetings this gave dad and me much time together, which I would later look back upon and smile. I learned that dad was one of the first members ever to join the fire department with some neighbors and I was able to look upon many pictures on display that showed dad aiding in the construction of the meeting house. This was a part of history that I did not realize existed until I was a freshman in high school, why it took me that long to find this information out I do not know.

       After less than three months of attending meetings I became hooked, and enjoyed the fire department to the fullest. I learned so much, that was simple, but life change and saving. I had always dreamed of being able to help people and I tried to help the people that I came into contact with. The fire department allows me to help an entire community and individuals of the community when they are at their worsts.

     I began fire fighter classes almost immediately and went to the class with dad, then we would always skip out when it came test time because dad was not a test taker. Some how we always managed to pass. After doing this for a couple of years it occurred to me that in our small area 90 percent of our fire department calls were first responder calls. So I began working toward becoming a state certified medical responder. It was not easy but after much studying I was able to pass the state exam by one point.

    Finally, I would now be legally able to help more people than I could imagine. Dad was not a first responder becuase like I said before, he wasn’t a test taker. After getting this certification in the mail I began running first responder calls. Dad would go with me when he was able but by this time he was a cancer patient in stage four of colon cancer. That did not stop him from running calls and volunteering to help others, if the tones went off he was right there to do what he could. It did not matter if it was night or day, nor if he had just came from a chemotherapy treatment. Dad would not run first responder calls unless it sounded like he could be of help carrying the patient out or such. Volunteering was my life and continues to be today, but with a lower level of respect.