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Page24ESPRITByYMMSgtMichaelBorkaShiawasseeCountyMIIncommunitiesallovertheUnitedStatesthereisonegroupofvolunteersthatweallconsidertobeheroesandtheyarecalledFireghters.Everydaythereareoutofcon-trolresthatthreatenourlivesandthesegroupsoflocalvolunteersrisktheirlivestokeepussafe.InmysmallcommunityofSwartzCreekandMundyTownshipMIthesevolunteerreghtersnotonlyspendcountlesshourskeepingussafeoutintheeldbutinourschoolsaswell.Manyvolunteerreghtersgotothelocalschoolsandteachtheyouthhowtopreventresandhowtomakeare-escapeplan.JustbydoingthatIcon-siderthemtobeheroes.AfriendatmychurchisareghternamedTonyCurry.TonyhasbeenamemberoftheMundyTownshipFireDepartmentforeighteenyearssincehewasnineteenyearsold.Sincehewasachildhewantedtobeareghter.HesaidEveryopportu-nityIgotIwouldwatchtheretrucksgobyandvisittherestation.Iwantedtobeareghterallmylife.MuchliketheYoungMarinestheFireDe-partmentisabrotherhoodWereghtersarelikeafamilydoingourjobtoprotectthecommunityandhavefuninbetweenhesaid.Manypeoplemaybelievethatbe-ingareghterisahigh-stressjobandhardlyenjoyable.AccordingtoTonyitisjusttheoppositeofthat.IenjoybeingontheFireDepartmentverymuchasdotheothervolunteerreghters.WhenIwasyoungIwastoldthatbeingareghteryoueitherlikeandloveitoritisnotforyou.BeingontheFireDepartmentforeigh-teenyearscreatesmemoriesthatthevol-unteersdonotsoonforget.Mybestmem-oryofbeingontheFireDepartmenthastobedrivingthebigtrucksforthersttime...Notonlywasdrivingthetruckforthersttimefunandexcitingittaughtmeimpor-tantlessonsinresponsibility.Iwasrespon-sibletotheteamonthetruckforgettingthemtotheresandforthepeopleattheretokeepthemsafe.QuiteoftenvolunteermembersoftheFireDepartmentstayforaverylongtimeandareveryloyaltothejob.Tonyisaper-fectexampleofthisbeingontheteamforeighteenyears.Therearemembersthathavebeenthereformorethan25yearsaswell.Ifyouaskthemiftheywouldevencon-siderdoinganythingelseotherthanbeingreghterstheywillmostlikelyrespondthatbeingareghteristhebiggestpartoftheirlivesandfewcouldimaginenotbeingareghter.Volunteerreghtersoftendonatetheirtimeforotheractivitiesandgroups.TonyisamemberoftheGeneseeCountyHonorGuardprovidingcolorguardsforfuneralsparadesceremoniesandotherspecialoc-casions.HeisamemberoftheLindenLi-onsClubacommunityservicegroup.BothheandItakepartintheFeedingthe5000agroupofourchurchsmemberswhohelpfeedtheextremelyneedypeopleofdowntownFlintMichigan.Hegivesmuchofhistimetohelpingmultiplecommuni-tiesthroughoutthecountyasdomanyreghters.Foradultslookingtomakeadifferenceintheircommunitiestheroleofreghterishighlyrecommendedbythesevolunteers.Icannotthinkofmanybetterwaystohelpourcommunitiesthantoprotectthepeo-plefromblazinginfernoswaitingtostrike.Fireghters-TheHeroesofOurCommunitiesByYMGySgtDylanStrongNatchaugRiverCTIrecentlyhadtheopportunitytointer-viewoneofourlocalreghtersinordertolearnabouttheresponsibilitiesandmo-tivationsofarstresponder.HereissomeofwhatIlearnedfrommyinterviewsub-jectLt.KrisPedersen.QWhatisyournameandwheredoyouvol-unteerAKrisPedersenandIvolunteeratWil-liamsvilleFireEngineCompanyinCon-necticut.QWhatisyourpositionintherehouseALieutenantQWhatareyourqualicationsforthispositionAMymaincerticationsarebeingFireFighteronetrainedanEMTHighAngleRopesRescueTechnicianandaTacticalFireOfcer.QWhatisyourfavoriteandleastfavoritepartaboutvolunteeringAFavoriteCommunityserviceandthefactthatbeingareghterislikeabandofbrotherhoodwiththeotherreghters.LeastfavoriteSinceyourealwaysoncallyoudontknowwhenyouwillbeneededorwhatyouwillbefacingTheyrenotalwaysthenicestcalls.QWhydoyouvolunteerABecauseIloveitanditslikeabrother-hoodwhereeveryoneistrusted.QHowdidyoustartvolunteeringAImovedintotownandseveralfriendswereontheFireDepartmentandsug-gesteditforme.QHowlonghaveyouvolunteeredA14yearsQWhatwasyourbestandworstexperi-enceABestEverycalloffersauniquechal-lengethatkeepsyoulearning.WorstSomecallsareworsethanothers.QWhatdoyoudotoprepareforanemer-gencyAWedrilleveryweekpracticingwhatwedoandwehavetore-certifymostqualications.QHowdoyoufeelyouhaveinuencedorplantoinuencethecommunityespeciallytheyouthAWhenwerespondtocallsespeciallywithyouththeprofessionalismthatIcarrysetsatonethattheyouthwouldadmireorlookupto.QDoyouhaveanyplansforthefutureinvolunteeringAIplantostickwithitandlearnnewthings.AnInterviewwithaVolunteerFirefghterYoungMarinesareoftentoldthatrespectissomethingthatisearnedandfewdomoretoearnrespectthanthemenandwomenwhoserveasFirstResponders.TwoYoungMarinesprovidesomeinsightsgainedwhentheypreparedthesestoriesaboutreghtersfromtheircommunities.CODE10-70