Today we feature On-call Firefighters.
These folks are not "Career" firefighters. They typically have regular jobs, albeit with flexible schedules. They respond to emergency calls as-needed and as-available. They are often paid a daily rate to be On-call plus an additional rate for responding to calls.
So they have a lot to juggle when you think about their family events, birthday parties, holidays, social events, church activities, etc, etc!
Many times these On-call Firefighters are drawn to the department because previous generations have served the department. So its sort of in their blood! Jimmy Wagoner is a good example. His father has been with the local department for 26 years.
Some times these On-call Firefighters had friends in the department. Dustin Lucius is a good example. He's a 30-year old pilot who is married with a newborn child. He followed his friend, Bobby Maksymowski, into the department.
Other times these On-call Firefighters pursue the department because of the camaraderie it builds. Chris Cates is a good example. He joined his local Fire Department as an On-Call Firefighter to "be a part of something."
But none of them would be On-call Firefighters if they didn't love firefighting!
These folks fill an important role in the Public Safety our country enjoys! A small to mid-size city does not usually have the budget for a fully staffed "Career" department, especially these days :-(
We want to say "THANKS" to all the men and women who fill this tremendous void and serve the public unselfishly. We know that you love fighting fires and responding to emergencies, but we also know you make many sacrifices to be available as First Responders!
THANK YOU!!
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