By Brandon Evans | Published Thursday, October 29, 2009
We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give. - Winston Churchill Every call is different. And every call might hold a life in the balance. Volunteer firefighters understand better than most the meaning behind Churchill's quote. The impact they make in the lives of people in their community cannot be quantified. Most remain humble about why they serve. Rick King, a volunteer with the Decatur Fire Department, is no different.
"It was something new to try," King said. "And it's good to give back to the community."
Since he initially volunteered, he's responded to hundreds of calls and given thousands of hours of his life to community service. He's helped extinguish countless grass fires, responded to scores of accidents provided aid on all types of medical emergencies.
And it never gets old. King still experiences a rush when answering calls five years after originally joining the department.
"There is always an adrenaline rush," he said. "There is something different on every call. No two calls are the same. Each call involves different people with different circumstances in different situations. There is no such thing as a routine call."
King, originally from Seattle, was raised in a family of emergency responders. His uncle was a firefighter for the city, and his dad worked for the municipal power company.
"I grew up as a boy around it," King said. "We'd be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner or a picnic or something, and they'd have to be called in."
He's accustomed to watching people dash toward disaster, while most flee or simply gawk.
The basis for the volunteer fire department started with Benjamin Franklin's Union Fire Co. in Philadelphia in the 1730s. These men met on a regular basis and adopted a professional model for fighting fires.
Franklin helped develop the idea of the professional volunteer firefighter. Today's volunteers continue that spirit.
Life as a volunteer firefighter requires a regimen of physical discipline and continuing education. It truly is a professional endeavor.
"There is lots of training and lots of school," King said.
Every year King spends many hours in a classroom. He takes the mental and physical preparations very seriously.
"I'm only 30, and I can't compete with his speed," said fellow volunteer firefighter James Carr. "He has the heart of a jackrabbit."
Every year all firefighters must complete a Fitness for Duty examination. The test measures the skills, agility and overall fitness of the firefighter. Completion of the exam is required.
"I just aim to finish the test," Carr said. "But Rick aims to win."
Carr got involved as a volunteer after he initially took part in a class given by the Decatur fire department to provide basic fire safety training to citizens. It was enough for him to know he wanted to give more.
Although the Decatur Fire Department transitioned to a paid department two years ago, the bulk of the members remain volunteers. There are eight paid firefighters and 22 volunteers.
King assured there is no divide between the paid and unpaid.
"We're all treated as equals," he said. "The paid firefighters were all volunteers before. And they still give back to community, and they still volunteer on some shifts without pay."
Thousands of hours spent together in do or die situations creates a bond amongst the firefighters.
"We're all pretty close here. We all know each others families," King said.
But the hours spent together training, in education and responding to calls, pay off in the end.
"I think we do a pretty good job," King said. "Can we do better? You can always do better. We are always striving for excellence. When does excellence stop? It doesn't stop.
"It's a lot of hard work. It's rewarding. Giving back to the community is important no matter where you live. Not everything in life has a dollar amount attached to it."
King owns an auto salvage business in his hometown of Seattle. Although it has helped him earn a living, he's defined his life through volunteering.
