Becoming a firefighter: first calls

My first call as an active member of the crew was on Friday, August 12 shortly after 9 p.m.

While we were getting our gear on, I couldn’t help but notice how calm everyone was, despite not knowing exactly what was ahead. As it turned out, it was nothing. We were told to stand down. There were a few other false alarms in the calls that followed, but on Aug. 23 at 8:16 p.m., I got the chance to test the skills I had acquired since starting the recruitment process last year. There was a vehicle fire south of Valparaiso. As we got closer to the scene, I began to feel anxious. “What do I do when I get there? Do I remember a single thing from training?”, I remember thinking. 

I admired both firefighters Cody Osborne, and Ben Rokochy, who remained so calm in the truck while we were en route. As we got closer to the yard, we got confirmation that the vehicle was still fully engulfed. Before I could blink, Rokochy and Osborne were already out of the truck setting up a hose. Our driver Willy Smart advised me to stay back until they could confirm there were no hot spots left. Then it was time for me to join, and I helped by cleaning up the hose line. 

(Submitted photo/Angie Rolheiser)

Now, that might not sound exciting to you, but it was an amazing experience for me. After having gone through the training, I learned so much and had greater respect for firefighting work. I knew if this crew hadn’t been there so quickly, the outcome of this fire could have been much worse for the property owners. 

Over the course of the summer, the MFD attended a train vs. semi collision, commercial fire alarms, and a combine fire near Star City. On September long weekend, I was on-call and ended up at a stubble fire in the Resource area. A baler had caught fire.

The next afternoon, we responded to a similar call, but this one was more intense. This time, it was a combine that had caught fire. It was mostly out when we arrived on scene, but the call still lasted five hours so we could ensure nearby trees that caught fire wouldn’t start up again. At the end of it, I was completely exhausted and sore, and couldn’t imagine how I would feel after a bigger fire than that. I was also very proud to have been part of everything. 

To quote my daughter afterward, “Mom, are you so proud that you could do all that you did today?” It was at that moment that I realized just how proud I am. 

These calls, however minor they may seem, brought me to the realization that I was participating in something that just a few months earlier, I doubted I could do. Now, I am proud of how capable I am of the physical demands of the job and plan to continue responding to calls, training, and learning.

According to Fire Chief Shaun Stewart, this summer had a ‘normal’ number of calls but many were different calls than usual summers. 

“Most summers we have motor vehicle accidents (MVA’s) and such but this year, a couple of vehicle fires and lots of alarms,” Stewart said.

Practice takes place every Thursday evening for MFD and the public can look forward to an open house this year which hasn’t been able to happen since 2019.

(Submitted photo/Angie Rolheiser)

While every one of all ages is invited to the open house in October, it would be a good time for anyone thinking about getting involved with the department to come out.

The MFD will be looking for new members in the fall once again. If you’re searching for a rewarding way to help in the community and join an incredible group of people, I can’t think of a better one.

by Angie Rolheiser

Becoming a firefighter: first calls

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