by Madison Mulligan and Jordan Clark

Senior Ian Torr is at the firehouse enjoying his favorite television show. The siren goes off and he jumps into action, puts on his uniform and rushes to the truck. For Torr, a firefighter with the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department, this has become routine. For a number of Northern students, being a volunteer firefighter while still in school is an exciting opportunity that they couldn’t miss. “Being able to help the people of Calvert County is the best part about being in the fire department,” said Torr.

Being a volunteer takes character traits like bravery. “A lot of things we do at the firehouse can be a little crazy. Most people would not consider running in to a burning house to be sane. So, to do this job you have to be a little crazy,” said senior Matt Owens, who volunteers at Dunkirk. You also have to meet certain requirements to be eligible to volunteer. “The requirements for being a member under age 18 are that you are enrolled in a Calvert County high school. Once the student graduates, they are also able to become a live-in member and tuition reimbursement for college is available,” said Dunkirk’s Deputy Chief Steven Faulkner.

Another quality that makes volunteers unique is that you must be willing to put others before yourself. “I’ve been told that we are a special group of people to be there when people need help, and I agree with that. It takes a lot of time but we as volunteers make the time,” said junior Trey Spriggs, a volunteer at the Huntingtown Fire Department.

“One of the best things about volunteering is being a part of a group of people who are willing to risk their lives in order to help people in need,” said Torr. He feels the training will help him in his future career as he wants to become a Navy SEAL.

 

For some student volunteers, firefighting is a family tradition. “My family joined and was telling me about how much fun it was. I’ve had an interest in the fire department since I was a kid. Also, I love the adrenaline rush from calls,” explained junior Matt Shrawder from Dunkirk.

Seniors Tristen and Sam Plant are twins and work together in the Dunkirk Fire Department. “It really isn’t as weird as some people may think, having your sister at the fire department. I just have to look out for her when we are there together. I also have three cousins there, and it makes up for times we don’t get to see one another,” Tristen explained.

Going on calls and spending hours together on call has brought the members of the different area fire departments closer together. “Everyone seems like my family. We mess around with each other but when it comes down to it, there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other,” said Shrawder. Owens agrees: “A day at the firehouse is just like hanging out with my second family. We watch TV together, eat together, and mess around with each other. But we all have each other’s back in serious situations.”

Students find that their time volunteering has changed them. “The firehouse has shaped my personality greatly. It has made me more mature and responsible. Ever since I joined, I have grown up a little and have discovered what I want to do with my life,” said Owens. Torr has been impacted dramatically as well, “It has taught me to become a more grounded and mature individual. It has also taught me skills that will help me out further on in life,” he said.

Owens feels he has learned how to handle working at a job: “It has taught me to handle stressful and intense situations more calmly. After seeing some shocking situations, you become kind of numb. You feel sad and you feel bad for the people. But you can’t let that affect the job you are there to do.” The students have responsibilities around the firehouse. “In between calls, the members are constantly drilling, cleaning, training, and learning as much as possible,” said Faulkner.

Joining the fire department, you are put into to situations that you have never been in before. “My craziest story would be an auto accident that occurred when I first joined. Three helicopters had to come and fly the patients out,” said Tristen Plant. Her sister Samantha feels she has to overcome the problems that come with being one of few female fire department volunteers. “It’s a challenge at times,” she said, “because a lot of people doubt us, but it make me want to prove everyone that doubts me wrong.”

Even when situations get tough and complicated the volunteers always take action and fulfill their tasks. “Recently, one morning, a car drove off the road and busted into flames. When we got there we had to drag a hose line down an embankment and extinguish the fire. The driver survived and the fire was extinguished, so we did a job well done,” said Tristen Plant.

These close groups of friends at the department spend lots of time together waiting for calls, so they must find ways to occupy their time. “Once on a Saturday night, we didn’t run any calls,” said Spriggs, “so we decided to play a poker game which ended up six hours into it. Then, after we all went to bed, and we never got a chance to sleep that night because we ended up running calls all night.”

The daily tasks of being in the fire department can take a lot out of a person, different members deal with this in different ways. “It can be very stressful, so to deal with the stress we so joke around with each other,” said Owens. “Like one time, the guys filled my boots with shaving cream, so that when I went to put them on I stepped into a sloppy mess. It’s all just fun and games. However, when it comes to calls we all take it very seriously.”

The Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department is actively seeking new volunteers. Contact them at 301-855-8895.