Lt. John Mitchell of FirefighterNetcast.com fame and Snyder Fire Chief (Ret.) Tom Merrill are just two of the countless friends I have been blessed to gain in my 32 years in the fire service.
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It was thirty-two years ago, on September 2, 1980, when I raised my right hand and said “I will” serve my community as I was sworn in as the first junior firefighter the Evans: Center Volunteer Fire Company ever had. I was 17.
Like the old sidewalk they’re replacing outside our fire station, my path in the fire service has been full of both ups and downs. From the highs of truly helping people and really saving lives — to the agony we face in the streets, and sometimes in the firehouse, when our best efforts just aren’t enough, at least in the eyes of some people.
Through all of it though, I have had the good fortune of always being surrounded by great people who have had a deep and profound impact on both my personal and professional life.
If you think about Guardsmen, Soldiers and every other appropriate title given to those who serve in all the branches of the US Military, they can be ideal candidates to recruit into the volunteer fire service. They already understand discipline, respect, teamwork and the chain-of-command — and they certainly get the whole "brotherhood" thing! As many have shared about this idea, "it's a no-brainer!" 
